


Chains Of Corruption 2

by Nokturnalmortum



Series: Chains Of Corruption [3]
Category: Corruption of Champions
Genre: Anal Sex, Blood and Gore, Corruption, Divinity, F/F, F/M, Futa, Magic, Monstergirls, Multi, Oral Sex, Original Character(s), Other, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-15 21:39:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 20
Words: 86,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17536742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nokturnalmortum/pseuds/Nokturnalmortum
Summary: After a harrowing battle, Mika has finally been reunited with Gwen, but unbeknownst to everyone, a sinister entity has been unleashed. Things quickly spiral out of control as Mika is forced to confront her role in this world.





	1. The New Normal

"I'll be back later, alright?" You ask looking at Gwen. 

She gives you a confused look and Vivienne says, "Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on her. Where did you say you were going again?" 

"Bertand said his shipments have been getting raided so I'm gonna look into it. I should be back before dark." You reply. 

Vivienne sighs and says, "It's a shame, I had hoped with Iliya gone things would quiet down a little." 

You laugh and say, "I'll take monsters over demons any day." 

You say goodbye and leave Vivienne's shop. Her new business is located near the central marketplace not far from her home. As you exit, you see Kira hovering as she looks at jewelry at one of the nearby stalls. She sees you and happily buzzes over. 

"Ready?" Kira asks enthusiastically. 

You nod and the two of you walk to the gates and are soon on your way to the plains outside the city. Its been a little over a year since the battle with Iliya and a lot has happened since then. You returned to Valen City with Gwen and, with a little help from C.C., you purchased a small home in the city. Kira moved in with you and Gwen and has been helping Vivienne with the tailor business she recently opened. Although fairly new, her shop already has a few regulars due to her skill. 

You've been working odd jobs to get by and leave Gwen in Vivienne's care while you're away. Gwen still hasn't returned to normal, although she seems to remember you at least. She has only been able to say your name twice since you rescued her, but everything else has been communicated with gestures and nods. Despite her condition, Gwen seems to be adjusting to her new life with you quite well. 

Priscilla also moved to Valen so she could be closer to the island and she regularly makes the trip to study the black slime. C.C. and Astrid returned to Ardent City a few weeks after your recovery to help with the reconstruction effort. Both you and Astrid have lost your magical power since the fight with Iliya, although Astrid has retained her natural strength. 

Farah has also been busy with her merchant business but she has recently started a civilian transport company on the side. A competing company also opened up and between them, it has made travel between cities faster and less dangerous for common people. Apparently, C.C. and a number of nobles from both Cyldell and Valen agreed to fund the construction of airship docks in both Ardent and Valen City, no doubt thanks to her 'special charms'. 

After the battle, Hakon stayed in Valen City for a few days and tried to transfer some of his energy into you and Astrid. Your bodies seemed to reject his energy though, and it caused you both a great deal of pain. He eventually returned to his home after it was clear he couldn't help either of you. There are still demons roaming the world, but their numbers have dropped so significantly, they are rarely seen anymore. 

The people of Thanos haven't really changed at all though. You don't really know what you expected to happen once Iliya was gone, but you had hoped the effects would be more pronounced. The people still keep slaves and seem to have sex just as much as when the demons were polluting the air with corruption. It's already been a year, but maybe it will take a long time before you start noticing any major changes in the population. 

Still, without having to worry about Gwen being abused by the demons, you've been sleeping soundly every night. You're even beginning to enjoy your new life, while slowly forgetting your old one. At first, not being able to use your powers made you feel disappointed. You had become used to being able to do things that are once again impossible, but having Gwen by your side is more important. You gave up trying to get your powers back and instead focused on training your body. Everyday, you've been sticking to a strict training regimen and your sword skills and overall agility have improved greatly. You can't fight like you used to, but you are confident in your natural abilities. 

Upon reaching the top of a small hill, Kira says, "Hey look!" 

You follow her gaze and can barely make out something in the treeline. There is a cart near the trees and it looked like something was quickly dragged into the woods. Without your powers, it's hard to see at this distance. 

"Let's check it out." You say as you and Kira quickly make your way to the cart. 

A golden, slimy substance covers one wheel and is dripping down the side of the cart. It smells sickly sweet and there is a small trail of the substance leading into the woods. 

"It's honey!" Kira says, licking her finger after dipping it in the golden goo. 

"Alright then, keep your eyes up." You say as you lead Kira into the woods. "Did you ever run into any beegirls when you lived in the forest?" You ask.

"Only once, when Yaz and I tried stealing some of their honey, but as long as you don't bother them they usually won't attack" Kira says confidently. 

You nod and silently press your back to a tree as wet plopping noises become louder and louder. Peeking out, you see a short rabbit man pinned on his back under more of the sticky honey. On top of him is a beegirl with short black hair and long skinny limbs. Her transparent insect wings flutter as she slides down his length. She rides the rabbit's cock with increasing fervor while her bee like abdomen slowly opens up near the end. A strange tube of skin comes out and she lines it up with his ass. You see it begin to bulge and even though you don't know what it is, you feel like this guy probably doesn't want it. 

"Hey!" You yell as you step away from the tree and into their view. 

The beegirl gets embarrassed and quickly flies away as you walk over and pull the man off the ground.

"You ok?" You ask. 

He nods and replies, "I heard they were good, but then that ovi thing..." 

You wave your hand and say, "Alright, just get going." 

The man thanks you and hops off towards the city as you and Kira laugh a little and then walk out of the forest. Other than that awkward encounter, there isn't much happening as far as you can see.

"Where should we look next?" Kira asks. 

You take a look around and say, "Bertand said this shipment is coming from Cyldell, so let's head that way." 

You begin walking through the plains and notice Kira staring at you.

"What? Did some of that honey get on me?" You ask trying to look at your back.

Kira giggles and says, "No, I was just wondering why you can't use your powers anymore."

You shrug and say, "I don't know." 

"Have you tried using magic at all since then?" Kira asks looking at your hands. 

You raise your palm and try to concentrate, but nothing happens and you say, "Well yeah I've tried, but I can't feel energy inside me anymore. It's alright though, that power was given to me so I could kill Iliya. Now that she's gone and Gwen is safe, I'm fine with being normal again, well except..." 

You look down and before you can think of how to put it lightly, Kira finishes your sentence.

"Except you still have a big ol' cock!" Kira laughs and you flick her. 

She tumbles through the air as you say, "How about I have Salem brew up a special potion, just for you?" 

You laugh as Kira fixes her hair and sticks her tongue out at you. Hours of walking around the outskirts of the city and a few breaks later, the sun begins to set. 

"It's getting late, should we head back?" Kira asks. 

You nod and say, "I guess so, everything seems fine out here to me. We'll come back tomorrow. Bertand said the caravan is due in the afternoon." 

You and Kira walk back towards Valen City and you say, "We never really got around to talking about it, but what happened after Iliya threw me out of the tower? When I got back up there, everything happened so fast." 

Kira looks to you and says, "Well after you fell out of the tower, Iliya attacked us. We threw everything we had at her, but she just kept healing and we wasted most of our energy. I don't know why she didn't just kill us, maybe she really did want to feed us to that nasty slime, but by the time you got back, we were in really bad shape. We saw her cast the illusion, and we were all yelling, trying to snap you out of it..." Kira looks sad for a moment but then perks up and says, "But everything turned out ok, I'm just glad everyone made it." 

"Yeah, I can't tell you how horrible I felt watching Iliya kill all of you, illusion or not. When I woke up and you told me everyone was alright I felt so relieved." You say with a smile.

"Aww, you were that worried?" Kira teases.

"Friends till the end, right?" You joke and share a good laugh with Kira. 

A few minutes later, you arrive in front of the city and open the gates. You and Kira head inside and make the short trip to Vivienne's shop. 

"Hey wanna go to the bar?" Kira suggests. 

"Alright, just don't drink too much, we have to go out early again tomorrow. Let's pick up Gwen and then we can head over there." You say leading the way. 

As you enter, Vivienne greets you and Gwen runs over and hugs you. You return her embrace and Vivienne gives a warm smile.

"How did it go?" Vivienne asks as she folds some fabric and puts it in a cabinet. 

You scratch the back of your head and smile while saying, "Probably could have used your sharp eyes out there, but we'll get them tomorrow." 

"I see, well just drop Gwen off whenever you're ready, I'll be here bright and early." Vivienne says with a smile. 

You thank Vivienne and take Gwen's hand as you leave the shop and head to the bar. As you enter, the tavern erupts in cheers and you take a seat at the bar. 

"What can I get ya?" The bartender asks.

"Two glasses of Fenti wine, and can I get some juice too?" You reply.

Kira gives you a dirty look but you say, "Relax, it's for Gwen." 

The bartender serves your drinks and you take a big drink out of Kira's glass before giving it to her. 

"Hey! That's mine!" Kira complains.

"You can't even finish a whole glass on your own anyway." You say with a soft laugh.

Kira huffs and puffs but you know she will calm down after a few sips. You look to Gwen as she takes a sip of the juice and you can see that she likes it. 

"Is that good? Mind if I try?" You ask.

She looks to you and smiles as you put another straw in her drink and take a sip. Gwen giggles and takes a drink as well. You are happy seeing her smile, but you're also scared that she may never return to normal. 

"Ahhh, that's pretty good." You say refreshed. 

"So this is her? Your friend that you saved from the demons?" A familiar voice says from behind you. 

You turn around and see Lenore and Lilith and invite them to sit. 

"Yeah, this is Gwen. It's good to see you both. By the way Lilith, I never got the chance to thank you, I've been so busy the last few months." You say. 

"Me? What for?" The snakegirl responds. 

"Well, if you hadn't given me that good luck charm, I think we all would have died on that island. It turns out, Mara made that crystal herself and it weakened Iliya enough that we were able to beat her. So basically, you saved us all." You say while smiling. 

"What? I had no idea, I bought it thinking it was just a good luck charm!" Lilith says in disbelief. 

"My, that does sound hard to believe." Lenore says. 

"Wait, does that mean you can talk to Mara?" Lilith asks curiously. 

You shake your head and say, "Even when I had my powers, I could never contact her directly. I just heard her voice in my head sometimes." 

Lilith looks sad and says, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up." 

You figure she must be talking about your powers and you say, "It's alright, I'm just happy that everyone made it back in one piece." 

Lenore nods and says, "Indeed, you pulled off quite a stunt." 

As you chat, a dogman comes up and says, "Miss champion, let me pay for your drinks, it's the least I can do after everything you've done for us." 

You smile and say, "Thank you, but you don't owe me anything, and please, just call me Mika. I have a job tomorrow so I can't drink a lot tonight anyways." 

"Alright, but if you're ever thirsty, I'll gladly pick up the tab." The man says with a smile before walking away.

"I'm glad the notoriety isn't going to your head." Lenore says.

You take a long drink of wine and say, "I wish they would just treat me like a normal person, I'm tired of being everyone's hero." 

Lenore laughs and says, "Good luck with that." 

You laugh and talk for a while before seeing Kira is becoming a bit tipsy. You notice it's getting late and decide to call it a night before she gets too hammered. A drunk fairy is funny until she throws up on your pillow, right next to your face. Then it's not so funny.

"I think we're gonna head home, I'll see you around." You say.

"You should stop by the shop sometime Mika. I know you have a nice weapon already, but we could always chat." Lenore says.

You smile as you get up and say, "Sounds good. I'll see you guys later."

"Alright, it was good seeing you again, bye!" Lilith replies. 

You take Gwen's hand and walk the short distance to your house as Kira happily buzzes around. It's located in the center of the city, not far from Vivienne's home. It has a bedroom and a bathroom upstairs and a small kitchen and lounge on the ground floor. You open the door and Kira glides in and plops herself down on the table. 

"What's for dinner?" Kira asks excitedly. 

You look over and say, "What am I, your mother? Why don't you cook for a change? I'm gonna take a bath." 

Kira begins to complain but you ignore her and remove your armor. You hang it on a display rack you bought recently and set your weapon down next to it. Frost was not happy about you breaking the sword he made, and charged you full price to repair it, saying you didn't get rid of Astrid like you promised. In your underwear now, you turn towards the stairs and as you begin climbing, Gwen hugs you tightly from behind, almost knocking you down. 

You grab the railing and say, "What, you want to come with me?" Gwen nods and you sigh and say, "Alright, come on." 

Gwen smiles and follows you into the bathroom. You run the water until it's warm and then begin filling the tub. Gwen smiles as you stand up and pull her shirt over her head. Her breasts bounce free and she leans forward, causing them to rub against your cheek as you kneel down and pull her shorts and panties off. 

You undress and help Gwen into the tub before you get in as well. The water is nice and warm and you lean your head back and close your eyes. Things have been so peaceful lately, you have been spending a lot of time with Gwen. You keep telling yourself that she will go back to normal, but you aren't so sure about that anymore. Gwen's leg rubs against yours and you open your eyes and look at her. She's pouring water over her head with her hands and giggling as it cascades down her face. You smile at her for a moment before helping her wash her hair. 

You wash yourself quickly and then lather up some soap in your hands. You turn Gwen around so she is facing away from you and pull her close. You begin to slowly rub your soapy hands over her shoulders and around her neck. You move down and begin washing her arms while Gwen softly coos and moans. Your hands move under her arms and begin massaging her breasts, making Gwen pant with delight as your fingers run over her nipples and give them a soft pinch. 

Gwen giggles and you pat her shoulders and say, "Ok, stand up." 

Gwen rises out of the water and stands with her ass in your face. You get more soap and rub it along her long, slender legs. You lift one of her legs out of the water and rest it on the side of the tub while you tenderly clean her foot, and then do the same for the other. You slowly work your way back up her silky smooth legs all the way up to her ass. You were only trying to bathe her, but seeing her naked like this has your cock rock hard as you rub soap over her cheeks. 

You spread her ass and run a soap covered finger around her perfect little asshole a few times before going down the crack. Your cock twitches as you finish and you try to hold back your lustful feelings. You grab Gwen's waist and turn her around, giving you access to her pussy. You take a deep breath and run your hands up her legs to her belly and then back down to her mound. Gwen moans as your fingers pass over her clit and around her pussy. Juices dribble down from Gwen's pussy, and the soapy mixture runs down her inner thighs. The sight makes your cock so hard it hurts and you leak precum into the water. 

"Ok, all done. Now rinse off." You say as Gwen sits back down, still facing you. 

You lean your head back again and take another deep breath while you try to relax. Suddenly, you feel Gwen grab your cock and begin slowly stroking it under the water. You quickly open your eyes and she smiles as she leans in to kiss you. This isn't the first time Gwen has tried to have sex with you, but you always feel guilty as if you're taking advantage of her, so you've always stopped her. This time however, as Gwen's tender lips press against yours and her hand works your cock, you feel an unusually strong swell of lust and passionately kiss her back. 

Gwen moans as she continues to slowly stroke your cock, but then you start feeling guilty again. You break the kiss and try to get out of the tub, but your cock bounces up and hits Gwen in the cheek. She giggles and opens her mouth with her tongue sticking out slightly. She looks at you longingly and then closes her eyes as you stare at her. You are crippled with indecision. You don't want to do something you'll regret, but at the same time you want to fuck her so badly you can't think straight. Gwen gets impatient and opens her eyes giving you a disappointed look. 

You slowly turn back towards Gwen and she smiles and leans forward. Her tongue expertly rolls around the head of your dick and her hand slides up your leg, coming to rest on your pussy. Gwen rubs and coats her fingers in your juices before pushing two fingers inside as more of your cock disappears into her mouth. She begins bobbing her head on your cock and you close your eyes. 

Maybe it's the lingering corruption, but ever since you rescued Gwen, you've been thinking about having sex with her. Now that your cock is finally in her mouth, you couldn't be happier and you feel your orgasm approaching fast. You try to pull Gwen away, but she pushes down harder and the rest of your cock slides down her throat. You moan as your cock erupts and coats her throat with your cum. Gwen stays latched onto your cock until she's sure you're finished and then lets it fall from her mouth with a wet plop.

Gwen looks very happy about the situation and plays with the little bit of cum that dripped from her mouth, before she swallows it all and says, "Ahhh!" 

You laugh softly and Gwen pulls you back down into the tub. She wraps her arms around your neck and positions herself above your cock. 

You look at Gwen's beautiful blue eyes and say, "I don't thi..." 

Before you finish, Gwen begins lowering herself onto your cock and you gasp in pleasure. She slides down and sits in your lap while staring into your eyes. Gwen hugs you tightly as she begins grinding her hips into yours and you nibble on her ear. Gwen cries out in ecstasy as she slowly rides your cock and runs her fingers through your hair. 

She turns your head upward and kisses you passionately as you wrap your arms around her tightly and begin thrusting deeper into her. You pump in and out of her tight pussy, slowly building speed as the muffled moans echo through the room. Gwen throws her head back and moans loudly as you take her nipple into your mouth. You flick your tongue over her nipple and press your face into her soft flesh as you suck on it.

Gwen wraps her legs around you as your cock fills her perfectly. She stares at you lovingly as she braces herself on the sides of the tub and begins matching your rhythm. She begins panting and her face gets slightly flushed and you too feel your orgasm approaching, so you pull her close and hold her tightly in your arms. You and Gwen cum at the same time and you both moan loudly as you pump her full of your cum and she twitches in ecstasy. You lay there, holding Gwen in your arms for a while until you feel hungry. 

"Let's go eat." You say and Gwen smiles. 

You get out of the bath and dry yourself and Gwen off, helping her into fresh clothes and laughing as she skips out of the room. After getting dressed, you go downstairs and surprisingly, Kira is cooking. 

"Wow, I didn't think you would actually start cooking, what are you making? It smells pretty good." You say.

"Course it smells good! It's almost done, can you help with the last part? I can't really do it at my size..." Kira asks.

You agree and after a few minutes, the three of you sit down for dinner. After taking a few bites, you offer Gwen a piece of bread to go with her meal. She nods and as you pass it to her you notice Kira staring at you.

Kira grins and says, "You know I could hear you up there right?" 

"Maybe you just shouldn't be so nosy." You reply. 

You and Kira laugh and Gwen looks confused before she joins in as well. After dinner, you thank Kira for the meal and take Gwen upstairs. 

You sit on your bed and say, "Ready for bed?" Gwen smiles and nods before you say, "Good, because I'm tired." 

You put another mattress in your room for Gwen, but every night she climbs into your bed and cuddles you until she falls asleep. Tonight is no different and Gwen lays with her head on your shoulder. You look down at her and smile as she gives you a kiss and snuggles up close to you. This isn't exactly how you hoped things would turn out, but it could have been a lot worse and you fall asleep finally accepting this crazy new life.


	2. A Familiar Face

Early in the morning, you stretch out and yawn before waking Gwen and heading downstairs. Kira is awake before you, for once, and greets you as you enter the front room. 

"Morning." You reply and walk to the kitchen. 

After eating a quick meal, you depart for Vivienne's shop with Kira and Gwen. As you approach the storefront, you see a note stuck to the door. 

"Mika - A shipment I've been waiting for has arrived in the neighboring village but their cart is damaged. I need these as soon as possible to fill my orders. I'm sorry, but perhaps Lenore wouldn't mind keeping an eye on Gwen today. - Vivienne" You read aloud. 

"She's been waiting for that stuff for a whole month, guess we'll have to ask Lenore. I'm sure she'll do it." Kira adds.

You agree and lead Gwen the short distance to Lenore's weapon shop, hoping she's in this early. Luckily, when you try the handle, the door opens and you see Lenore and Lilith preparing the shop for the day. 

"Don't think I've seen you in here this early before, how can we help?" Lenore asks with a coy smile as Lilith also greets you. 

"Vivienne is out on an errand and I was hoping I could leave Gwen with you for a few hours." You reply. 

"Hmm, there are a lot of sharp, pointy things in here, but I suppose it's the least I can do for you. Lilith, watch over Gwen today and I'll handle the shop." Lenore says as she hands Lilith a small pouch of arens. "Take her out and have fun, I think you've earned a day off." 

Lilith smiles and says, "Thanks, and don't worry Mika, I'll take good care of her." 

You smile and say, "I'm sure you will. I should be back in a few hours, see you later ok?" 

Gwen smiles and runs her fingers over Lilith's scales as they head outside. As vastly different as this world is, at least Gwen seems to be enjoying herself.

"Thanks again" You say to Lenore

"Anytime." The centaur replies with a smile. 

You meet Kira out front and you pass Gwen and Lilith at a nearby stall before reaching the city gates.

"East it is then." You say aloud as you begin walking through the hillside. 

You walk for a few hours and chat with Kira, but all is peaceful in the hilly grassland. After a while you stop at some trees overlooking the downhill slope leading to the swampland. 

"Let's wait here. If they haven't hit the caravan yet, we should be able to see them coming." You say as you crouch down and sit against a tree. 

About an hour goes by and as you wonder if the the caravan was attacked in the swamps, you see something emerging from the mist. Several wooden carts pulled by strange, burly animals move out of the trees and form a line. 

"I guess they made it, let's go." You say as you rise up and begin walking down towards the caravan. 

The people steering the carts look hesitant as you approach, but you smile and wave which seems to put them at ease. Suddenly, you hear what sounds like a stampede coming from the marsh behind them. You run towards the last cart and as the sound grows louder, four centaurs and a lizardman jump out from the misty trees and circle the caravan. 

"Damn, Kira protect the carts, I'll deal with them." You say as you carefully approach the bandits.

"Be careful!" Kira yells. 

The centaurs slowly close in and chuckle as they size you up. 

You draw your sword and say, "If you leave now, no one has to get hurt." 

The lizardman steps forward and says, "You're a lively one, how about we take her back to camp and have some fun, huh?" The centaurs cheer and the lizard continues, "But first, we'll be taking everything in that caravan." 

He laughs manically and you shrug while saying, "Your choice." 

One of the centaurs turns and just as he begins to run toward the caravan, you quickly cut off one of his front legs. 

"Aaahh!" The centaur screams and falls down for a moment before shakily getting up. 

Everyone's attention is focused on you now and you smile and say, "Last chance." 

The men roar and you charge in, slicing one of the centaurs down the side. He falls to the ground, blood pouring from his wound as another leaps in. You narrowly escape being crushed and drive your sword deep into the man's human torso. The lizardman leaps over the dead centaur and his short sword crashes against yours. 

As you trade blows with the lizard, one of the centaurs kicks you with his powerful hind legs and sends you sliding across the dirt. You immediately charge back into the fight, catching a centaur off guard with a lethal blow. The last centaur circles and tries to kick you again but you sidestep and slice down hard, dismembering both hind legs. The centaur falls to the ground and before he can scream, your blade has already cut through his neck. 

"Can't you see this is pointless? Just give up." You say trying to reason with the lone survivor.

"Never! You killed a few brain dead taurs, don't get cocky!" The lizard yells.

He suddenly raises his hand as a familiar purple glow appears around his fingers. He waves his hand to the side and quickly becomes invisible. You tense up and try to listen for anything that might give him away. The lizard is an expert at stealthily moving around, but the grass bending under his weight betrays him and you narrowly avoid his blade by rolling to the side. 

You quickly grab some dirt in your hand and throw it in his direction. You still can't see him but you notice the small cloud of dust being disturbed so you charge in, ducking down at the last second and thrusting your blade forward. The lizard suddenly becomes visible and your blade is sticking out of his gut. You sigh and stand up, letting him fall to the ground as you sheathe your blade. 

"That was most impressive young lady, what's your name?" A voice calls out. You turn to see a man hop down from one of the carts and he says, "I take it you are our escort?" 

"Yeah, my name is Mika. Did those guys give you trouble in the swamps?" You respond.

The man laughs and says, "No, no, if they had I doubt we would be talking right now. In any case, I suppose we're clear to Valen, hop on and we'll give you a ride." 

You thank the man and Kira follows you into the back of one of the carts. There are a few people in this cart although most of them are busy checking their smaller wares. 

"Pretty easy for you?" Kira asks.

"After everything we've been through, I could take those guys in my sleep." You jokingly reply. 

You regret killing the people that were forced to fight while corrupted, but you feel nothing for bandits like those men. Their murderous appetite pales in comparison to Iliya, but it sickens you none the less. When the cart stops at the gate, you hop out and thank the man for the ride. 

"Oh no trouble. Go on ahead, the guards will have to inspect our goods so it will take a while." The man says with a smile as you nod and walk through the gates. 

Your fame comes with its disadvantages, but little perks like the guards not hassling you when you come into town are appreciated. The guards of Valen City know what you've accomplished, and treat you with more respect than most nobles. They let you pass without any suspicion and you make your way back to the client. He is a wolfman named Bertand and he's in charge of maintaining the market district in Valen. When you knock on his door, he opens it and greets you warmly. 

"Mika, welcome! Please come in." Bertand says welcoming you inside.

You smile and say, "Thanks, but I'm just here to tell you the caravan made it back safely. They're being inspected at the gates now." 

"Wonderful, a fine job as always Mika. Let me get your reward." Bertand says as he heads to the back of the building. 

You and Kira wait outside and a minute later, Bertand returns with a pouch full of arens.

"Here you are, and thank you again Mika." Bertand says.

You smile as you take the pouch and say, "No problem." 

Bertand wishes you well and you head over to Lenore's shop to pick up Gwen. Kira grabs the pouch from you, but can barely keep herself afloat. 

"Ooohh, we can finally get that nice sofa we saw last week." Kira says excitedly as she returns the pouch to you.

"I was thinking about getting Gwen some new clothes, she's been wearing the same shoes for a while now." You reply. 

Kira puts her small hand to her chin and says, "I guess so huh, ok then, shopping time!" 

You let out a small laugh as Kira happily buzzes around and you reach Lenore's shop. 

"Welcome back, Lilith just returned with Gwen as well." Lenore says as Gwen comes over and hugs you. 

"Did everything go ok?" Lilith asks. 

You smile and say, "Of course, we got the goods back safely and we're ok too." 

Kira and Lilith begin talking but something in the back corner catches your eye. There is a small girl looking at a knife on one of the display racks. She is dressed in a dingy white dress that looks a few sizes too big and her long hair is a stunning golden blonde. The girl catches you staring and when your eyes meet, you gasp in surprise. This little girl is the spitting image of Mara! She's much younger of course, but the resemblance is uncanny. Intrigued, you approach the girl and as she turns around and gets a good look at you, her face lights up.

"Mika? I... uughhh..." She begins.

The child grabs her head and her eyes faintly glow blue as you ask, "Hey, are you ok?" 

The girl takes a deep breath and looks up to you with a smile. 

"I... remember now, I gave you my power so you could kill Iliya." The girl says.

"Wait, are you saying you're Mara, like, the Mara?" You ask looking her over.

"After you freed me I used all my power to weaken Iliya, but I hardly had any left to revive myself. This is all I could do." She says looking at her arms.

"So, you really are her then?" You ask in shock. 

Mara nods and continues, "I woke up in Cyldell with this incomplete body and I didn't even know who I was. I wandered around town until I heard someone mention that I looked like the drawings of the goddess. I remembered my name and a few other things, but I think the corruption messed up my memories. I couldn't remember anything else though, so I left and was hoping I would figure it out later. I made it all the way here and when I saw you, I remembered your fight with Iliya and then things started making sense." 

You and the others are speechless. This girl doesn't speak like her, but she knows things only Mara would. 

"I want to stay with you for a while, I think my memories will come back faster if I'm around familiar faces." Mara says with a smile. 

"Mika, you don't really believe this child is the goddess Mara, do you?" Lenore asks with her eyebrow raised. 

Mara scowls at the centaur and raises her small hand towards Lenore. A brilliant golden light swirls around Mara's tiny fingers before shooting over the small table and hitting Lenore in the chest. The light disappears and you realize it wasn't a harmful spell as you wonder what that was about. 

"Oh you naughty girl, ugh, how did you... oooohhhhh!" Lenore moans.

You see the flared tip of her massive horse cock poking out from under her skirt. Suddenly Lenore's cock erupts and shoots out a torrent of cum onto the floorboards. Again and again, the centaur's equine cock spasms and one after another, thick streams of cum splash into the growing puddle. Lenore braces herself against the nearby table as her orgasm shows no signs of relenting. 

"Ok.... uuhhhhh, I didn't mean, ohhhhhh gods please... stop." Lenore manages to say in between spurts. 

Mara flashes a devilish smile and waves her hand as her magic dissipates and Lenore trembles, struggling to stay on her feet after such a powerful release. Did Mara just use magic to make Lenore cum? Something is definitely wrong here. 

"I might look young but I still have some of my powers. I think if I get my memories back, I can go back to how I was before." Mara explains.

You grab the girl by the hand, leading her towards the door as you say, "Thanks again Lenore and I'm sorry about that, I'll make it up to you. Kira grab Gwen and let's go." 

Lilith looks confused and tries to help Lenore clean up as you hurry to get outside. 

"Are you really Mara?" You ask.

"Want me to show you again?" Mara asks.

You shake your head and say, "No, I mean the Mara I knew would never do something like that, she was so... elegant." 

Tears begin welling up in Mara's eyes and she says, "That's really mean Mika, I am Mara. I was so scared when I woke up with no memories and I came all the way here on my own. I was really happy when I saw you because I thought you were my friend. I didn't want to be like this, it has to be the corruption, but what am I supposed to do? I don't have all my powers back yet..." 

Seeing her cry like this makes you think maybe she's more human than she realizes, and you regret your choice of words. 

"I, didn't mean it that way. I'm sorry, I should have thought about what it must have been like for you. I am your friend and if you want, you can stay with me as long as you like, ok?" You say apologetically. 

Mara wipes the tears from her face and says, "Ok then, I'm all set to go." 

Her face beams with excitement now and you laugh a little and say, "That's great, but I live in town so we're not going all that far." 

"Really? You have your own house now?" Mara asks.

"Yeah I live there too! It's really nice, I'm sure you'll like it." Kira replies.

"Hey, let's stop by Priscilla's place, I bet she would love to meet you Mara." You say as you change direction and motion for Mara to follow. 

"Who's Priscilla?" Mara asks.

"She's mainly a scientist now, but when I fought Iliya, she was right there beside me. Maybe she can figure out what's... different, about you." You reply.

Mara smiles and says, "Well if she helped you, then she deserves my gratitude." 

'That sounded more like the Mara I remember, maybe she really is trapped in this child's body.' You think to yourself as you make your way down to the seaport. 

Recently, the seaport was renovated and now can hold about ten small boats. Priscilla was the driving force behind this change and as she put it, easier access to the island means faster progress towards reversing the damage Iliya caused. That was all she really had to say to get the mayor of Valen to approve the construction. While it was being renovated, Priscilla took a liking to a small house nearby and made it her permanent residence. You knock on the thin wooden door and hear movement inside. 

A moment later Priscilla opens the door and says, "You have great timing, I was just about to leave for the island. How are you, and who is this?" 

Priscilla kneels down and Mara says, "I am the goddess Mara." 

Priscilla nearly bursts out laughing but you expected as much and quickly cover her mouth and say, "We were hoping you could run some tests or something and figure out why Mara can't use her powers." 

You give Priscilla a look that says just trust me, and she steps back and looks at Mara before saying, "Alright, I suppose the slime isn't going anywhere. Go ahead and bring her to the back room, I need to grab a few things." 

You nod and lead Mara to the back of the house and open the only door available. The room is moderately sized but is packed to the ceiling with all sorts of computers, machinery, and cables connecting them all. It looks like a mad scientists lair, just like her previous home, and you let out a small laugh.

Priscilla enters behind you and says, "What's so funny?" 

You shake your head and say, "It's nothing, did you find what you were looking for?" 

Priscilla nods and says, "Yes, this device can measure a person's frequency. This will tell us if she is who she says she is." 

She sets down the small metal box and says, "Mara, sweetie, would you mind coming over here?" 

Mara walks over and hops up to sit on the desk and Priscilla takes a small wire and connects it to the device. 

"It's going to poke you with a small needle and take a little blood so it will sting for a second, but that's all ok?" Priscilla says in a motherly tone. 

Mara nods and hold out her arm and Priscilla holds the device near her skin and flips a switch. A small needle comes out of the top of the box and Mara looks at it apprehensively.

"Ready?" Priscilla asks.

Mara closes her eyes and winces as Priscilla presses the needle against her skin. She presses a button causing the needle to quickly extend and then retract back into the box. Priscilla sets the device on the desk and lightly wraps Mara's arm in a bandage. 

"That wasn't so bad." Mara says watching Priscilla finish tying her bandage. 

"I always try to use the least invasive methods, I wouldn't want a big needle anywhere near me either." Priscilla responds with an exaggerated face and Mara giggles. 

"Let's see then." Priscilla says as she sits down at the desk and continues, "Well you're certainly capable of using magic, but..." Her voice trials off as she pours over the data on her monitor. 

"But what?" You ask.

Priscilla looks confused as she says, "This can't be right, it looks like her circuits are, warped." 

"What does that mean?" Mara asks with concern. 

"I... maybe warped isn't entirely accurate. I've just never seen something like this and that was the word that came to mind." Priscilla says reassuringly. 

"Is that bad? We already saw her use magic and it looked easy for her." Kira says.

"Are you sure the results are right?" You add.

Priscilla looks at Mara again and says, "Let's put her in there and find out." 

Priscilla points to a familiar looking machine and you recognize it as the one she used on you to determine if you had Mara's blessing. 

"What's that one do?" Mara asks hesitantly.

"Don't worry, you just stand inside and it scans you. She used it on me before and it didn't hurt at all." You reply.

Mara nods as you make your way over to the machine and she steps inside. 

"Like Mika said, just relax, this one doesn't hurt." Priscilla says as she taps away on her keyboard. 

"Ok. Should I use my magic so you can see?" Mara asks.

Priscilla nearly jumps out of her chair and says, "No please don't! It can scan you just fine but if you use magic it will overload." Mara looks scared now and Priscilla sighs and says, "You would be fine, but my machine would be ruined. Haha sorry to scare you but I need these machines to help me with my research." 

Priscilla takes her seat and Mara calms down as the machine begins to light up. After a few minutes of note taking and staring into her monitor, Priscilla finally sighs and motions for you to take a look before speaking. 

"I think I figured it out, partially at least. This machine can tell almost everything there is to know about a person, well internally that is, but the information is showing up twice. The first set of data seems relatively normal, aside from her circuits, but the second set is completely different. The numbers don't add up at all." Priscilla explains.

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"Take her age for example, the first set of data says she's about eleven which would fit with her physical appearance. The second set however, shows she's nearly eight thousand years old." Priscilla responds.

You look at Priscilla and say, "Believe me now? She looks exactly like Mara when I met her in the crater." 

You had your doubts due to her behavior but this proves it, she really is Mara. 

Priscilla looks over the data once more and then says, "I suppose if a goddess did reside in her body it would explain the preposterous readings." 

"Hey Kira, why don't you take Mara and Gwen out front, I'm gonna help Priscilla clean up. I'll be right there." You say.

Kira understands your signal and takes Mara and Gwen out of the room. 

"Priscilla, something weird is happening. Mara acted like a real goddess when I first met her, but the 'magic' she showed us earlier was just making someone orgasm. Do you think she will be alright?" You ask not really expecting an answer, just some kind of support. 

Priscilla shrugs and says, "I still don't fully understand how you were able to do the things you did a year ago. Mara is something completely different, I just don't know if conventional means will be effective. If I try something too drastic without understanding her better, I could make things worse." 

Not exactly what you wanted to hear, but if there's one thing you can count on Priscilla for, it's the cold hard truth. 

"I know, but she said that when she saw me, some of her memories returned and she felt more power. Should I help her get her memories back or will that make things worse too?" You ask.

Priscilla puts her hands on your shoulders and says, "Don't stress so much over it. We'll continue to monitor her and if I think she's getting worse, I'll let you know." 

You sigh and say with a slight smile, "So hurry up and wait, huh?" 

Priscilla laughs as she leads you to the front room. 

"Thanks, at least we know something now. I think we're gonna head home, see you later." You say.

"Yes you will. Don't think I'm letting this opportunity pass me by. Studying a goddess, I wonder if any advancements in medicine or sorcery can be made? If I just can derive a formula from her..." Priscilla replies.

Her voice trails off as she seemingly forgets who she's talking to and returns to her computer. You laugh softly and let yourself out. 

"Are we going to your house now?" Mara asks. 

"Yeah, it's not far." You reply.

Mara looks happy and seems a little worn out. You guess she has the stamina to match her childish demeanor. After a few minutes, you arrive home and walk in. Gwen sits on the stairs and begins taking off her shoes as Kira buzzes around and shows the house to Mara. 

"Over here is the kitchen and upstairs is the bedroom. There's a bathroom up there too." Kira says pointing up. 

Mara smiles and says, "This is nice, I like it." 

"Glad to hear it, I have a bed for Gwen upstairs, but she usually sleeps with me, so you can use that for now." You say as you sit down at the small table. 

"Hey Mara, you remember Gwen, right?" You ask.

Mara looks confused and points to Gwen as she says, "You mean her? I think so, she's the one you wanted to save from Iliya, right?" 

You nod and say, "Yeah, but Iliya did something to her. She can hardly speak and she acts like a child. Is there anything you can do for her?" 

Mara looks at Gwen and says, "I don't have that much control over my powers yet. If I messed up even a little bit, it could make her even worse, I'm sorry." 

You sigh and say, "It's ok, at least she's with me and she seems happy. That's enough for now." You smile and stretch out before saying, "I'm starving, who wants to eat?" 

Kira helps you cook and Mara seems to enjoy spending time with Gwen as they watch the meal take shape. After dinner you climb into bed and Gwen joins you. Kira and Mara enter a few minutes later and it doesn't take long before everyone is sleeping soundly.


	3. Incognito

As the morning light fills the small bedroom, you open your eyes and see Gwen is cupping your breast under your shirt. You smile as you remove her hand and rise from bed. You head downstairs and begin to prepare a meal and before long, the smell wakes Kira and the others. As they walk downstairs and sit at the table, Mara trips over her long dress.

Kira giggles as she says, "It's a good thing you didn't fall down in Lenore's shop." 

You help Mara to her feet and ask Kira to finish cooking. You take a small knife and cut the bottom of Mara's dress to just above her ankles before you throw away the excess cloth. 

"Thanks." Mara says as you sit down and Kira serves breakfast.

As you eat, you look to Mara and say, "So Mara, why were you in a weapon shop in the first place?" 

"I don't have very much energy. I made it all the way here from Cyldell and along the way I had to use my powers a lot. I kept running out of energy and had to hide sometimes, so when I made it here I thought I should have something to protect myself with." Mara says looking ashamed. 

"Aren't you a goddess though? Can't you just make another body for yourself?" Kira asks bluntly. 

Mara seems upset by this and says, "If it's so easy then you do it! Maybe I should show you what it's like to not have control of your body." 

Mara's eyes begin to glow and you rise from your seat hoping to deescalate the situation, but you feel a wave of energy crash over you. Your senses dull and you feel like your heart is beating faster as Kira begins to rub her legs together and moan.

"How do you like it? Well, go on then, make a new body for me. It's not so easy is it?" Mara asks angrily. 

Kira absentmindedly begins rubbing her pussy as she lays back on the table and you take a few deep breaths trying to calm yourself. In her stupor, Kira grabs a spoon and rubs the wooden handle against her wet slit as she humps the utensil before pushing it into her pussy. Mara smiles and climbs onto the table before removing the utensil from her pussy to Kira's surprise. 

She looks at Mara longingly, and the young girl puts a slender finger into the fairy's mouth. Kira sucks on it passionately until Mara withdraws her finger and lines it up with her ass. Kira smiles and spreads her legs wide as Mara's finger rubs around Kira's hole. Her other fingers join in and soon they are sliding in and out of Kira as she moans and leans back onto the table. Kira tenses up a few minutes later and her cum leaks onto the table as Mara slowly takes her fingers out and holds them up above Kira. Without hesitation, Kira greedily begins sucking the juices from Mara's tiny fingers and you try to hold yourself back. 

Suddenly you feel a hand working it's way into your pants and turn to see Gwen standing behind you with a lustful look in her eyes. Any traces of resistance to Mara's magic are erased the moment Gwen's fingers make contact with your cock. Everything is a blur and you can't focus on anything except the incredible feeling washing over you as Gwen plays with your cock. You turn around and kiss Gwen deeply while she quickly drops your pants to the floor. You undress her before taking your shirt off, letting your breasts rest in Gwen's face as you lie her down and line up your cock with her pussy. 

She takes your nipple into her mouth and diligently sucks on it, stopping only for a moment when you slide into her dripping wet pussy. The pleasure is mind blowing as you sink deeper into her inner folds and when you bottom out, you lean down and kiss Gwen again. Your cock slides out and you begin pumping into her as Gwen matches your rhythm and her breasts bounce with each thrust. Lost in your own world, you eventually realize Mara is laying on the table watching you fuck Gwen with a mixture of curiosity and excitement on her face. You can't even process it however, and mindlessly fuck Gwen as she tenses up and wraps her legs around you. 

Your orgasm is building up too as you continue to pump in and out of Gwen's tight pussy. Her legs loosen up and she rests them on the floor as you vaguely notice Mara raising a finger. You can't hold it any longer and you thrust all the way into Gwen's pussy and your cock spurts cum into her womb. Over and over, cum shoots into Gwen and after a few moments, you realize Mara is using her magic on you. Your orgasm is uncontrollable and cum starts to leak out around your cock, still buried in Gwen's pussy. She moans loudly as she is filled beyond capacity and you pull out as another thick rope of cum shoots onto her breasts. You don't know what to do and sit in front of Gwen as your cock continues cumming on her belly in powerful spurts. 

"P-please... Mara..." You manage to say and it seems to snap her out of it. 

She quickly waves her hand and the feeling of lust subsides as your orgasm finally ends and Gwen rubs your cum around her breasts. 

You breathe heavily and lay back onto the floor as you say, "Mara, you can't do stuff like this whenever you feel like it." 

She looks down and says, "I know, I didn't mean to get you and Gwen too. I'm sorry." 

You sigh and say, "Just try to be more careful, alright?" 

Mara nods and you get up off the floor and say, "I need a bath. Gwen, let's go get cleaned up." 

You take Gwen upstairs and after bathing, you return downstairs and see that Kira has showered in the kitchen sink and is ready to go. 

"We're going out?" Mara asks.

"Well we were supposed to get to the job board early, but by now there aren't going to be many left to choose from." You respond.

Mara looks down and says, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you late Mika." 

You smile and say, "It's alright, I have enough money to get by, but I feel bored if I just stay at home all the time. I guess after everything I've been through, I got used to always being on the go. Let's go check the job board anyway, there might be something left." 

You lead Gwen, Mara, and Kira to the job board near Bertand's house and look over the listings. There are only three notices left on the old wooden board, but none of them are offering a decent reward.

"Hmm, none of these pay very well Mika. Should we just try again tomorrow?" Kira asks. 

You shake your head and say, "No, let's try asking Bertand, he might have something for us to do." 

Kira nods and says, "Yeah, he pays really well too." 

You laugh as you walk up to the door and knock and a few moments later, Bertand opens the door. 

"Mika, back again so soon?" He says with a smile.

"Yeah, we got to the job board kind of late and I was wondering if you might have some work for us." You reply. 

Bertand gives a sly smile and says, "Well, the brothel is always looking for some fresh talent..." Bertand begins.

You cut him off and say, "I've already told you we're not interested." 

He laughs and says, "Kidding, I'm only kidding. As it turns out, I do have a package waiting for me in Cyldell, but I haven't gotten around to arranging transport for it yet. If you would deliver it to me, I would be most grateful." 

"Just pick it up from Cyldell and bring it back? Alright, we'll do it." You say as Bertand smiles and reaches into a nearby desk. 

He pulls out a pouch of arens and says, "I'll give this to you upfront, not like I have to worry about the champion pulling a fast one on me, haha." 

You smile and thank the wolfman before leaving. 

"So how much is it to take an airship to Cyldell?" Kira asks.

"Actually, I was thinking maybe we should go on foot." You respond. 

"What? Why would we do that, it's really far remember?" Kira complains.

"I thought if we traveled together, Mara's memories would return quicker than if we just flew there and back." You reply. 

Kira thinks for a moment and says, "I guess so, but are you and Gwen gonna be ok?" 

You tilt your head and say, "What do you mean, I can still fight you know." 

Kira looks like she is about to say something, but sees someone behind you and says, "Oh, hi. What are you doing here? I thought you were going to the island?" 

You turn around and Priscilla says, "I was, but then I met a goddess. If I learn more about her, it might help my research into the slime." 

"We were going to Cyldell for a job, but we're gonna walk. I think being around us might help Mara's memory." You say.

"I see, then I'm going as well." Priscilla replies. 

You smile and say, "Just like old times, huh?" 

Priscilla nods and says, "I'll gather my things and meet you by the gates." 

You leave Priscilla and head back to your house and when you arrive, you put your armor on and begin rummaging through the closet. 

"Whacha looking for?" Kira asks as she floats over and peers into the closet. 

"I know I kept it after I had it repaired, aha! There you are." You mumble to yourself.

You pull a box from underneath a pile of clothes and open the lid to reveal the leather armor Vivienne gave you when you first arrived in Thanos. 

"Oh wow, I remember that, but who's it for?" Kira says.

"Who do you think?" You respond

Kira looks concerned and says, "You're gonna bring Gwen with us?" 

You smile and say, "I don't want to leave her here if I'm leaving the city. Besides, Priscilla is coming with us so I'm sure everything will be alright." 

You strap the leather armor over Gwen's clothes and she seems excited, not really understanding it's for protection. 

"Should we invite Vivienne?" Kira asks.

You think before saying, "I don't know if she'll want to leave her shop, but go ahead and ask. We'll wait for you by the gates." 

Kira nods as she flies off towards Vivienne's shop and you lead Gwen to the front gates where Priscilla is waiting. 

A short time later, Kira returns alone and says, "You were right, she wants to stay here and use that new fabric she got yesterday." 

"I figured as much, but she's been really successful so I can't blame her." You say as you lead your friends outside the city. 

"This will be a nice change of pace, I feel like all I do lately is sit in front of a monitor." Priscilla says as she stretches her arms over her head. 

You nod and say, "Yeah, maybe we should do this more often." 

As the city grows smaller on the horizon, the swamplands come into view and Priscilla says, "It'll be nice to see Cyldell again, I haven't been back since I moved to Valen." 

"Yeah, you've been holed up in your house and on that island for too long." You say with a smile.

"And what about you? Errands like this must be terribly boring for someone who fought the demons." Priscilla responds. 

You laugh, knowing she is trying to get a rise out of you and you say, "No, I'm glad to be normal again, I can finally show Gwen all the amazing things in this world. I just wish she would go back to how she was before Iliya took her." 

Priscilla looks back at Gwen who is giggling as Kira buzzes around her making silly faces.

"I really don't think things could have ended up better. We're lucky Iliya didn't corrupt her." Priscilla remarks.

You nod and say, "Yeah I know, but I can't figure out why she didn't." 

Priscilla thinks for a moment and then says, "Perhaps she felt Mara's power but grabbed Gwen by mistake. If that's the case, she might have kept her in this state to use against you somehow. You were killing demons left and right after all." 

You put your hand to your head and say, "I don't even want to think about it. It's over now and we're all ok, that's all that matters." 

Priscilla nods and replies, "Of course, I didn't mean to upset you." 

You smile and say, "Don't worry about it, I'm fine, but it's getting late. Should we make camp here?" 

Priscilla nods and replies, "I suppose so, I could use a bite to eat." 

You unpack and set up camp while Priscilla prepares a small meal and after eating, Priscilla says, "I think I'll stop by my house when we arrive. I hope no one has broken in while I was away." 

You are surprised and say, "What? I thought you sold it to pay for the place in Valen?" 

Priscilla laughs and says, "I know I gave you a bad impression when we first met, but I used to get paid fairly well to research things for the mages in Cyldell. I had enough for the house in Valen and I didn't want to sell this one in case I came back, like we are." 

"That's impressive Priscilla." You say as you wonder what she must have been like before you met her. 

Priscilla laughs and says, "Not really, it was always very mundane things they wanted me to study, but the money let me do what I wanted and I was content with that, I suppose." 

Gwen yawns as Kira says, "I'm beat." 

You nod and say, "Yeah, we made pretty good progress though." 

Kira agrees and says, "Yeah if we hurry tomorrow, we can get to Cyldell." 

Priscilla chimes in and says, "Best not to get ahead of ourselves, the marshes are a dangerous place. Let's get some rest and head out early tomorrow." 

"Ok." Kira yawns.

You take Gwen into a tent while Mara and Kira follow Priscilla into the other. Gwen cuddles next to you in the small tent and you close your eyes and wrap your arm around her. You fall asleep feeling excited because after all this time, there might finally be a way to go back home. Rustling outside the tent wakes you, and you emerge to see Priscilla and Mara packing their tent. You quickly dismantle yours and soon you are on your way. 

The misty treeline approaches as you continue on and Gwen stumbles over a small rock and loses her balance. She gasps but before she hits the ground, you grab her arm and she smiles as you help her up. The marshes now encompass the land as far as the eye can see as you head into the mist surrounding the swamps. You take Gwen's hand and follow Priscilla as she leads the way through the trees. You notice Gwen seems tired and ask Priscilla to take a break. 

"Alright, I'm going to scout ahead a bit. I'll be back in a few minutes." Priscilla says before heading into the misty trees alone. 

Kira lands on your shoulder and says, "It's a lot more peaceful than the last time we were here, huh?" 

You nod and say, "Yeah, but don't let your guard down." 

After a few minutes, You and Gwen stand up and as you wait for Priscilla to return, you hear a rustling coming from behind some trees. Without warning, Priscilla leaps over a fallen tree and slides through the mud stopping in front of you. 

"Get Gwen out of here." Priscilla says without looking away from the mist covered trees. 

You nod and draw your sword as you lead Gwen further away from Priscilla, but then you notice a bulbous flower pod opening up in front of you. Taking a few steps back, you watch the pod open to reveal a familiar face. 

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again." Megumi says as she climbs out of her pod and raises her hand above her head. Suddenly, more flower pods emerge from the muddy ground and plantgirls emerge from them as Megumi says, "I think it's time I got some payback for what she did to me last time." 

Megumi looks to Kira with an enraged look on her face. 

"Megumi, stop this. Just let us pass..." You begin.

You are interrupted by Megumi as she yells, "No, I think I'll kill you all for making a fool out of me. Get them!" 

At her command, the plantgirls charge in and you step in front of Gwen while still trying to plead with Megumi. 

"Stop, we don't want to hurt any of you." You say.

Megumi laughs and replies, "Then this will be quick." 

Priscilla throws a knife into one of the plantgirl's neck and she falls to the ground.

"I don't think they're going to listen to reason Mika." Priscilla says.

You feel bad for the plantgirls but when one lashes out at you, you cut her down without hesitation. You look to Megumi but she doesn't seem to care about her fallen friends.

"This is your last chance Megumi, if you try to hurt my friends, I will kill you." You say in a serious tone.

Megumi stares at you with hatred in her eyes before she says, "Damn you, just die!" 

Megumi lunges toward you and you raise your sword, but her vines quickly wrap around you and pin you to a tree. You struggle against your bindings as the plantgirl leans close to you.

"Mmm, your friend is pretty, maybe I should start with her." Megumi says. 

You follow her gaze and see Gwen with a frightened look on her face. Megumi raises her hand towards Gwen but before she can do anything, you lean forward and bite into her neck with all your strength. Dark purple blood leaks into your mouth as Megumi screams and tries to get you off, but you stay latched on until she pries you off, tearing off a chunk of her flesh as well. Blood streams down Megumi's neck and onto her naked breasts as she falls to her knees. 

"Bitch... Just die..." Megumi barely manages to say.

You spit out Megumi's flesh and wipe your mouth before saying, "You should have just left us alone, now leave before I end up killing you." 

Megumi clutches the side of her neck and shakily returns to her feet before backing away. Priscilla and Kira finish off the last of the plantgirls as you check on Gwen.

"Well, that could have been worse, I'm surprised she didn't use her pollen. Plantgirls are known for practically radiating spores." Priscilla says. 

You turn away from the dead girls and say, "Damn it, I thought things would change if Iliya was gone." 

Priscilla puts her hand on your shoulder and says, "Things have been this way for a long time, it's not going to change overnight. You told me once that where you come from, it was peaceful but there were still wars and fighting. There will always be a few bad apples, but that doesn't mean everything has been in vain." 

You sigh and say, "You're right, I just wish we didn't have to kill them. They deserve to live just as much as we do." 

"I know, but things will get better, just give it time." Priscilla says. 

You nod and reply, "Let's get going, before more show up." 

Priscilla once again leads you through the swamps but after a short walk, she stops and says, "Looks like we've got more company." 

You scan your surroundings and see something moving behind the trees ahead of your group and ask, "How many?" 

"Six, maybe seven but, this feels familiar." Priscilla says although you don't understand what she means. 

"I know you're there, stop hiding." Priscilla says loudly and several lizards walk out from behind the trees. 

They are wearing light armor and as you cautiously look around, one of them says in a feminine voice, "My word, Priscilla, is that you?" 

You look at the woman and see she has a scar across her cheek as Priscilla says, "I'll be damned, Tara?" 

The two lizardgirls clasp hands and laugh as you walk over to Priscilla and ask, "Do you know them?" 

Priscilla nods and says, "Yeah this is Tara, my old research assistant." 

Tara laughs and says, "Research? I left because you would always come back drunk and we hardly got any real work done." 

Priscilla waves her hand and says, "And you were always getting hung up on the most trivial details." 

The two stare at each other for a moment before laughing again and Tara says, "I thought you had moved to Valen, what are you doing out here?" 

"We're picking up a package for someone in Valen. How did you know that I moved? I haven't seen you in years." Priscilla asks.

"It's pretty hard to miss when the town drunk suddenly isn't around anymore." Tara responds. 

They share another good laugh and Priscilla says, "Were you headed back to Cyldell?" 

Tara has a sly smile and says, "We were going out on patrol, but if you can't remember the way, I suppose I could show you." 

"Alright, alright. I used to drink too much, I get it, but things are different now." Priscilla says. 

Tara motions for you to follow as she leads the way through the swamps and says, "Really, how so?" 

"I've been studying the slime left behind after Iliya was killed, hoping to find a way to undo some of the damage she caused. It's kept me fairly busy, so I haven't been drinking as much as I used to." Priscilla says.

You realize the first time you met her, when she was plastered in the bar, must have been a regular occurrence for her and you smile to yourself.

"Really, well that's good to hear. I thought you might have drank yourself to death or something." Tara says. 

Priscilla sighs and says, "I'm giving you slack since we haven't seen each other in so long, but you're starting to piss me off." 

Tara bursts out laughing and says, "That's more like the Priscilla I know. Alright, I'll lay off. It's getting dark though, we should head to our camp." 

Priscilla agrees and you follow Tara and her men through the mist until you see several large tents surrounded by a wall of tree trunks. The tops have been cut flat and a lizard hops down from the wall and greets Tara. 

"Who are they?" The lizardman asks.

Tara replies, "Old friends of mine, now get back to your post." 

The man nods and scales the wall as Tara leads you inside and you can now see there are about fifteen people in the camp. A small stall near the center has vegetables for sale and one of the larger tents has an anvil and looks to be a forge, although no one is working right now. 

Tara points to another tent and says, "The beds are over there, but let's eat first. Samir caught a huge boar the other day and we have plenty left over so help yourselves." Tara suddenly stops and turns to you while saying, "I'm sorry, I was so caught up with Priscilla, I didn't really introduce myself. I'm Tara, I run this division of the Cyldell guards." 

You shake her hand and say, "I'm Mika and this is Gwen, Kira, and Mar...Maria." 

Mara gives you a confused look and Tara says, "Something wrong?" 

You shake your head and say, "No, we just met and I'm really bad with names, sorry Maria." 

You turn and wink at Mara, hoping she understands your signal.

"It's... ok." Mara says in confusion.

"Well, good to meet you all, I hope you like roast boar." Tara says. 

Tara leads you to a tent where several men are eating and she serves large portions for everyone. After eating a hearty meal, Kira and Mara follow you and Gwen to the tent with the beds. 

"Why did you lie about my name Mika?" Mara asks.

"If people found out who you are, they would all want you to help them. You don't have your powers back yet, so it will be easier for now if we kept it between us." You reply.

Mara thinks for a moment and says, "That makes sense, but I wish I could help them, and you." 

You yawn and say, "You already did, when I beat Iliya. Now I'm helping you so we'll be even." 

You and Mara both laugh as Kira glides over to Mara's bed and lays next to her on the pillow. You lay down and as you try to sleep, Gwen begins rubbing your cock through your pants. Even with the lizards guarding camp, you feel uneasy being in the marshes and remove her hand before embracing Gwen. She seems to understand and the two of you slowly drift off to sleep. 

The morning sun shines brightly through the open side of the tent and you rise from bed before waking your friends. Tara and Priscilla are awake already and as you make your way to them you hear the two women bickering. 

"If you extended this route and doubled it's personnel, you could eliminate this entirely and..." Priscilla begins.

She is interrupted by Tara as she yells, "Damn it, will you stop criticizing every little thing? I swear I..." Tara turns as you approach and says, "Oh, sorry if I woke you. I just... never mind. Ready to get going?" 

You nod and Tara grabs her gear before leading everyone out into the marshes once again. 

As you trudge through the muddy ground, you lean close to Priscilla and ask, "Everything alright between you two?" 

She smiles and says, "Of course, I was just getting her back for yesterday. You know how it is." 

You laugh softly and continue on until Tara comes to a stop and says, "Someone's out there." 

You scan your surroundings but see nothing so you hold Gwen close and rest your hand on the hilt of your sword. 

Minutes pass without so much as a sound until Tara says, "This is pointless, you might get the drop on someone, but the rest of us will kill you so stop hiding!" 

For a moment it's quiet, but then rustling can be heard coming closer from behind the trees. Tara draws her knives and steps closer as the noise fades away.

"Hey, what are those?" Kira asks.

You follow her gaze and see several huge flower pods suspended above the area by hundreds of twisting vines. While she is distracted by the pods overhead, a vine wraps itself around Tara's ankle before lifting her up. Your attention is drawn to Tara who is sent flying through the air toward you. Priscilla leaps in front of you and catches Tara as you draw your sword. Tara gets to her feet but before anyone can react, the vines holding the pods suddenly go limp. Everyone is grouped together and you prepare to fight more plantgirls as the pods hit the ground with a thud. 

The pods collapse in on themselves the moment they hit the ground and orange spores fly out in all directions, blanketing the area. The unexpected tactic catches even Tara off guard and the effects of the pollen quickly take hold. Gwen begins rubbing herself while Mara licks her neck. You feel yourself getting wet and your cock begins to stir as Priscilla and Tara fall to their knees. Resistance is impossible as with each breath, more of the spores enter your body and you groggily pull Gwen close, trying to at least protect her if nothing else. 

After a few moments, Megumi appears from behind a tree and says, "This is what you get you bitch." 

Her voice is hoarse and dried, dark purple blood stains her light green skin around the leaves she used to stop the bleeding. You can't respond in your condition, but you keep your eyes fixed on Megumi, even as your mind drifts into fantasies of becoming her slave. The sound of glass breaking catches Megumi's attention and behind her, you see Tara getting up. 

"How are you able to move?" Megumi says as some of the vines around her begin to move and gather near her. 

Tara takes a deep breath and then quickly throws one of her knives at Megumi. The vines instantly react and form a wall in front of the plantgirl but as Megumi lowers her guard, Priscilla rushes around the vines and kicks her to the ground. Tara smashed a small bottle on her back and now she seems to be free from the pollen's influence. Tara walks over to you and quickly breaks another vial over your shoulder. The clear liquid smells slightly sweet and it immediately absorbs into your skin as your mind clears and your lust subsides. 

You feel tired but not exhausted, as you thank Tara and she says, "I only have one left, the other two will have to let it pass naturally. I'll let you decide, they're your friends." 

She hands you a small vial as she and Priscilla turn to fight Megumi. Kira, Mara, and Gwen are lost in ecstasy and not knowing what else to do, you break the bottle onto Mara's back. She snaps back to herself and suddenly looks angry. 

"Are you alright?" You ask.

Mara ignores you and walks toward Megumi. She raises her hand and the spores swirling in the area begin to glow.

Megumi says, "Wh-what are you doing?" 

She stumbles backward and then falls to her knees as Gwen and Kira return to reality. Megumi grabs her breasts and pulls her nipples hard as Tara tries to understand what is happening.

"How did you do that?" Tara asks.

"I just changed the frequency a little, that's all." Mara says nonchalantly. 

"Really?" Tara says as she stares at Mara.

"We should probably get going, before it wears off or something." You say trying to deflect her attention. 

Tara is curious but agrees and begins walking through the marsh. 

"Wait!" Megumi yells.

You turn back to see she is standing up and has a thick vine in her hand. Her body trembles, trying desperately to fight the same urges you just experienced, and before you can respond she raises the vine and it stiffens to a sharp looking point. Megumi drives the hardened vine into her gut and dark purple blood spills onto the muddy ground. She coughs up blood and you watch in horror as she seems to be free from the effects of the pollen, but now has a murderous look on her face. Her eyes slowly turn black as she drops the vine to the floor and it goes limp.

Megumi smiles and takes a few shaky steps toward you before it turns to an all out sprint. You draw your blade and block her attack but with Gwen right behind you, you can't afford to let this drag on. You kick Megumi where she stabbed herself, causing her to stumble back and cough up blood. She looks at you with pitch black eyes and you grip your sword tightly as you approach and Megumi lashes out. Training all those months has paid off and you can keep up with her speed as she wildly attacks with every ounce of strength she has. 

Completely focused on you, Megumi fails to notice Priscilla running towards her and she leaps onto the thin plantgirl's back, driving her knife into the side of her head. They fall to the floor and Priscilla twists her knife before retracting it and you help Gwen to her feet.

"I've never seen them do something like this before. Juri brewed those potions with the help of the mages in Cyldell and they've been pretty useful, but I had no idea the plantgirls were capable of something like this. We're going to need a lot more of them if this keeps up." Tara says. 

Priscilla chimes in and says, "Indeed, monstergirls are by no means stupid, but this level of complexity far exceeds anything I could have predicted. She knew where we would be and hid the trap up high, knowing we would be looking for movement on the ground. Also, plantgirls are normally immune to their own pollen, so I find it hard to believe she instantly knew how to break out of it." 

Tara nods and says, "Yeah and her wounds... I didn't know a girl that thin could lose so much blood and still keep going like that." She sighs and says, "Well, we'll get no answers just standing around here, let's keep moving." 

Thankfully, the rest of the way through the swamps is uneventful and when you emerge from the treeline, you see Cyldell in the distance. You turn to Gwen and see her eyes light up as she notices the city. 

"It's even prettier inside." You say and Gwen smiles. 

"Hey, Priscilla, do me a favor." Tara says.

"What is it?" Priscilla responds. 

"Those were the last potions we had back at the outpost. I have to get back soon, those guys are useless without me, but can you find Juri and tell him to bring more when he comes back? He should be in the alchemist lab, it's pretty close to your old house, remember?" Tara says.

Priscilla sighs and says, "Yes I remember. Alright I'll let him know, is that it?" Tara nods and Priscilla says, "Well it was good seeing you again Tara." 

Tara smiles and says, "Yeah, I think I like the new you better, see you around." 

Priscilla thanks Tara and the lizardwoman departs back into the swamps as you and your friends head towards Cyldell.


	4. Omen

The massive city gates open effortlessly as Priscilla touches them and you follow her inside. Gwen smiles as she marvels at the floating fountains and glowing signs of busy shops.

"I'll show you around in a little bit, let's get that package first." You say.

Gwen nods and you walk through busy streets trying to find the correct address as you realize there are a lot more people in Cyldell compared to the last time you were here. Airship travel has revolutionized the world and for a moment you think, 'I didn't really notice it before, but there are more people living in Valen City as well. Maybe things really are changing.' You wish they would hurry up and abolish slavery, but sigh as you know they have to come to that decision on their own. 

"You alright Mika, you look like you're drowning in your own thoughts." Priscilla says.

You let out an embarrassed laugh and say, "Yeah, kinda." 

Priscilla smiles as Kira says, "Isn't that it over there?" 

You check and sure enough, it's the same address Bertand gave you. You walk up and knock on the small wooden door and after a few moments, you hear noise coming from inside. 

A human sized insect opens the door and says, "Yes?" 

He looks like an ant, or some kind of beetle, and you quickly pull yourself together and say, "Bertand from Valen City asked us to pick up a package for him. He gave me this address." 

You hand the man the slip of paper with Bertand's signature and he says, "I see, one moment please." He closes the door and returns a few minutes later with a small box wrapped in white paper. "I hope he didn't say that I would pay you." The man says before handing over the box.

"No, he already paid us. I'm just supposed to bring it back to him." You respond.

"I see, very well then safe travels to you all." The man says as he gives you the package and then retreats back inside and closes the door. 

"What a weirdo." Kira says and Mara giggles. 

"Back to Valen then?" Priscilla says.

"Actually, I wanted to show Gwen around a little. Can we meet up later?" You respond. 

Priscilla nods and says, "Of course, remember that little cafe? Meet us there when you're ready." 

You thank Priscilla and take Gwen's hand, leading her into the center of the city. She beams with excitement and you smile as she reaches out and touches the water cascading upwards into a floating fountain. A few droplets hang in the air for a moment before falling onto Gwen's face, surprising her. You laugh and wipe her face and she quickly plants a small kiss on your cheek. You take her to a few stalls in the market and buy her a cheap necklace, but she seems to like it so you put it on her and she hugs you tightly. 

You return her embrace and after a few moments, you say, "Let's check out one more spot and then we'll get back to the others, ok?" 

Gwen smiles and nods as you lead her to the docks. The airships overhead provide shade as you sit down on the edge of the pier and Gwen joins you. The ocean waves gently caress the shore and you scoot closer to Gwen and put your arm around her. She lays her head on your shoulder and the two of you watch as the sun begins to set and the magical lights of the city reflect off the ocean. 

After a while, you realize Gwen has fallen asleep, so you wake her and say, "Hey, it's not time to sleep yet." 

You smile as she yawns and stretches out before getting to her feet. You get up and hold her hand as you lead the way to the cafe. 

As you enter you hear Kira says, "Finally, I thought we were gonna have to drag you two back here." 

"Did you have a nice time?" Priscilla asks.

You nod and say, "Yeah, thanks for waiting. We had fun, the city is beautiful at night." 

"That's what drew me here initially, I still remember how strange it all felt at first." Priscilla says.

Kira chimes in and says, "Are you ready to leave now?" 

"Yeah I guess so." You say as the doors of the small cafe open and you see Farah walk in. 

A waitress greets her and takes her coat while saying, "Welcome, please have a seat over here." 

Farah follows the catgirl waitress until she spots you and she walks over with a smile. 

"Hey Ms. Champion! How've you been?" Farah says as she walks past the confused waitress and sits at your table. 

"I'm good, how are things for you, I heard you've been pretty busy lately." You say with a smile. 

Farah looks back at the waitress and says, "I'll sit over here, thanks." 

The lithe catgirl shakes her head and then quickly comes over to the table and says, "I'm sorry but, are you Mika?" 

'Great, here it comes.' You think. 

You sigh and respond, "Yeah, that's me." 

The girl beams with excitement and says, "I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was you ma'am. I'll get your friend's meal on the house. A-are you hungry too?" 

You shake your head and say, "Thank you but it's ok really, we can pay for our own food. Now that you mention it though, I guess I am a little hungry." You look to Gwen and then say, "We'll have two of whatever Farah orders." 

The girl smiles and looks to Farah as she browses the menu. "This all looks so good, I love the food here. I guess I'll have the pasta." 

Farah points to the menu and then hands it to the waitress before she heads back to the kitchen. 

Farah smiles and says, "I bet you get that a lot huh? Anyways, what were we talking about again? Oh right, business. It's been great as far as I'm concerned. I still don't know how your little friend was able to convince the mayor of Valen to approve the airship docks, but it's really convenient having a place to refuel before making the last leg of the trip." 

You assume she is talking about C.C. and you doubt she had a very hard time 'convincing' him of anything. 

You let out a small laugh and say, "Well I'm glad things are going so well." 

Farah nods and replies, "Yeah but it's not business that has me worried." 

"What do you mean?" Priscilla asks.

"Ever since Iliya died, the demons have pretty much disappeared. Besides Astrid, only a handful have been seen until recently. For some reason, they've been gathering in the southern wastelands and building some kind of monument." Farah responds. 

Priscilla raises an eyebrow and says, "A monument, of what? Iliya?" 

Farah shrugs and says, "Who knows, nobody wants to get close enough to find out, and that worries me." 

"Have they attacked anyone in the area?" You ask.

Farah thinks before saying, "I haven't heard any reports of demon attacks, but you never know." 

"What could be the purpose of exposing themselves like this after going to such great lengths to vanish?" Priscilla thinks aloud.

The table goes quiet until the catgirl waitress brings three plates of food and says, "Anything else?" 

You shake your head and say, "No, thank you. This smells delicious." 

She smiles and says, "The chef made it special just for our Champion." 

The girl winks and then resumes her duties as Farah says, "Something is definitely going on down there, and I for one don't want to just sit around and wait for them to finish whatever it is they're doing." 

You nod but catch yourself before you say anything. Without Mara's blessing, would you even stand a chance against a demon? 

Priscilla sees the look on your face and puts her hand on your shoulder before she says, "Don't think you can just duck out of this one because you can't use magic. Even if we end up fighting demons, I'm sure you'll be just fine, you have a knack for surviving impossible odds." 

You laugh and say, "Yeah, you're right. I don't know what they're up to, but it can't be good." 

After you finish your meal, Kira folds her arms and says, "It's so late now, we'll have to wait until tomorrow to leave, unless we find that camp again." 

"Why are you in such a rush to get home?" You ask.

"I'm not, it's just a long walk back." Kira responds. 

"Don't you usually get tired of flying and end up sitting on Mika's shoulder?" Priscilla asks.

Kira's face slightly reddens as she says, "You know what I mean!" 

You laugh and Farah asks, "Where are you all going?" 

"Back to Valen, we thought it would be fun to walk like we used to." You reply. 

Farah laughs and says, "Only you would think that, things are still pretty dangerous out there." 

You nod and say, "Yeah we ran into some trouble in the marshes." 

Farah looks around and says, "Well none of you seem injured, so that's good I suppose. Are you really going back on foot?" 

You look back at Gwen and then say, "Maybe we shouldn't, Priscilla has been having to protect everyone. I'll just pay for an airship in the morning." 

"I'm doing just fine, but I won't turn down your offer." Priscilla says with a smile. 

Farah laughs and says, "To hell with that, I have to stop in Valen to refuel anyways so you're all coming with me!" 

You laugh and say, "I guess we will then." 

Farah downs the last of her ale and then says, "Come on, I'll show you the ship." 

You nod and as you follow her outside you ask, "You added another one to your collection?" 

She laughs and says, "Not exactly, it's still the Ashstep, but we've made some... modifications." 

"How so?" Priscilla asks obviously intrigued. 

Farah shrugs and says, "Without any demons flying around and tearing up our ships, it was brought to my attention that we could profit even more, if we sacrificed some of the weaponry. The extra space freed up more room for cargo and even lightened the ships, making them a little faster. I had our mechanic tune it up to handle the increased speed so it's still a smooth ride." 

You smirk and say, "Why do you sound unimpressed?" 

Farah sighs and says, "You haven't fired one of those cannons so you wouldn't understand, it's... a powerful feeling. Plus, they ended up taking away more firepower than I thought." 

Priscilla laughs softly and says, "Well then we'd best stop these demons before you need them again. I can only imagine how large you would make them this time." 

You laugh as you follow Farah to the docks and board the elevator. Magical light encircles the platform and it rises into the air as Gwen takes in the view. Upon arriving at the top, you recognize the Ashstep among the other airships.

"Wow, you weren't kidding. There's only one cannon on each side. They aren't that small though, looks like they still pack a punch." You say.

Farah sighs and says, "Those are secondary engines, you couldn't really see them before with the cannons in the way." 

"Oh..." You say awkwardly.

"Diedra!" Farah calls out. 

The short goblin woman hurries out of the bridge and extends the ramp to the docks. 

"Welcome back captain, and... Mika? It's good to see you again ma'am." Diedra says as she gives a salute. 

Farah leads everyone onto the deck and says, "Diedra show them around a bit, I'm going to do the pre flight checks."

"Yes ma'am." Diedra responds. 

You follow Diedra into the ship and notice she keeps looking back at Mara. 

"Something wrong?" You ask.

Diedra shakes her head and says, "No I was just wondering why there's a kid with you. She's too old to be yours..." 

"What? No, this is Maria. She was lost and we're helping her get home." You reply quickly.

Diedra laughs and says, "You won't stop until you've personally saved everyone will you?" 

You shrug and say, "What was I supposed to do? Leave her alone?" 

"I guess I shouldn't be telling you what you're capable of huh?" Diedra giggles and comes to a stop in the middle of a corridor. 

"These rooms are free if you want to wait here, I can bring some food if you'd like." Diedra says as she opens one of the doors.

As Mara, Gwen, and Kira enter you say, "That's ok, we just ate." 

Diedra nods and says, "Very well, you may walk around inside the ship but once we take off, do not go out onto the deck." 

"Alright, and why is that?" You ask.

Diedra responds, "If you thought this ship was fast before, well, let's just say you would end up as a big stain on the hull. Don't worry though, it only takes us a few hours to get to Valen now so it won't be long." 

"Really, only a few hours? That's a lot faster than the last time we rode with you guys. Is it those magicore things?" You ask. 

"No, it was impractical to use them up all in one go like that, if we wanted to keep this business running that is. The cannons were unbelievably heavy, they had to be to withstand the energy they harnessed, so the engines had to be equally powerful. Without all that weight, and the new upgrades, we can go even faster than when we used a magicore." Diedra explains.

Kira says, "Wow, so if you used one of those magicore thingys now, we would like, teleport there?" 

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "If the wind pressure during flight is as extreme as Diedra claims, I doubt the ship would be able to withstand the increase in speed. It would simply tear itself apart." 

Diedra nods and says, "That's exactly what our engineers said, so they removed the magicore engines and gave us a complete overhaul. Some of our fleet still use them, but they're nowhere near as fast as the Ashstep, so they'll be fine." 

"Ok then, we'll stay in here. Thanks for the warning." You say.

"Of course, I'll let you know when we arrive." Diedra responds. 

Diedra returns to the bridge and you enter the room and sit next to Gwen while Priscilla stretches out on the bed in the other room. You point to the window and Gwen sees Cyldell lit up in all its magical beauty against the moonlit ocean. Her face lights up and you smile as you watch the city get smaller until the engines kick on and it disappears into the darkness as the ship gains altitude and races through the sky. Gwen looks to you and gives you a quick kiss on the cheek.

Mara smiles and says, "That's so cute." 

"I still want to believe she can go back to normal, but she's been like this for so long..." You reply.

"I will return her to the way she used to be, I promise Mika." Mara says with a determined look on her face. 

You look to her and feel a little more hopeful as you say, "Thank you. Anyways, have you remembered anything else?" 

Mara puts her hand to her chin and thinks for a moment before saying, "Only a little, from when Iliya held me captive. I can't remember anything from before you came to Thanos though. It's all fuzzy." 

"It'll come back sooner or later, I'm sure of it." You say with a smile.

Mara responds, "Yeah, I've remembered more in the last few days than I did for the first few weeks I was in this body. It has to be because of you." 

"Glad I can help." You say and Mara smiles. 

What seems like a short time later, Diedra returns and says, "We've arrived in Valen City." 

You sit up and say, "What, already?" 

Diedra raises her arm and pulls back her sleeve revealing a small watch and she says, "Three hours, fifty eight minutes. I suppose we did get here a few minutes early, the weather was nice." 

"I'm impressed, I didn't think removing the cannons would have such a large impact." Priscilla says as Diedra leads you to the bridge. 

"Goodbye Mika, I hope we can see each other again." Diedra says as she opens the doors and motions for you to enter. 

"Yeah, me too." You reply and enter the bridge where Farah is waiting with a smile. 

"Sorry to cut and run but I have a delivery to make in Ardent City, so as soon as we're fueled up, we have to get going." Farah says.

"That's fine, we're going to rest before heading to the wastelands. It was nice seeing you again Farah, take care of yourself." You reply. 

Farah laughs and says, "That's my line, you're the one always throwing yourself into the fire." 

You laugh and say, "See you around." 

You step into the elevator as Priscilla says, "I would never have imagined Farah parting with her guns." 

You laugh and say, "Yeah, it must have been one hell of an argument." 

The lift reaches street level and you step off as Priscilla says, "I'll see you in the morning, not that there's much time left before sunrise." 

You yawn and say, "Yeah, probably gonna be a late start tomorrow." 

Priscilla waves goodbye to Gwen and heads home as you walk towards your house.

Kira floats in front of you and says, "I was thinking, we should show Mara the lake sometime. It helped you when you were feeling down." 

"Yeah, that's a good idea. How about it Mara? Wanna camp by the lake tonight?" You ask.

Mara nods excitedly and Kira says, "Wait, tonight? I thought we could go some other time." 

"If it helps her remember something, we should go now while we have the chance. Who knows what we'll run into when we track down the demons." You reason.

Kira sighs and says, "I guess so, I was looking forward to my comfy bed though." 

You change direction and head to the front gate and as you approach, the guard opens the doors with a smile and a nod. You thank the man and the four of you walk the short distance to the lake near the city. You make your way through the trees and see the water shimmering in the moonlight. As you set up a tent, Gwen and Mara sit near the edge of the water.

"Hey Mika, can I ask you something?" Kira says. 

You finish the tent and turn to her before saying, "Yeah, what's up?" 

"What if Mara can't get her memories back, or what if she can't help Gwen?" Kira says with concern. 

You sigh and look at Gwen while saying, "I guess if that happens, then we're stuck here. If Gwen can't be helped, I'll keep protecting her until the day I die, but I believe in Mara. I think she'll be able to help Gwen, we just have to get her memories back first." 

Kira smiles and says, "I do too, she's a goddess right? She can do anything. I think... she could even..." 

Her words trail off as she yawns and Mara walks up behind her. Kira can't even keep herself in the air and she falls into Mara's hands. Mara lays the sleeping fairy inside the tent and you notice Gwen is already asleep as well. 

"What did you do?" You ask.

"I just put them to sleep, nothing bad I promise." Mara says. Before you can respond, Mara smiles and says, "You and Gwen were being so cute today, I was getting a little bit wet. You love her, don't you?" 

"What!? What are you saying? I... I just..." You stammer.

Mara giggles before saying, "They're both asleep, you can just say it. It's really obvious you know." You take a step back and Mara takes a step forward as she says, "Come here Mika." 

You know she could easily use her magic on you, or maybe she already has, so you relent and embrace Mara. You take off your clothes and sit against a tree as Mara takes off her dress and sits in your lap facing away from you. She leans her head against your breasts and you wrap your arms around her small body as she spreads her legs and your hand makes its way down her belly. Your fingers bump into something and you look over Mara's shoulder and see she has a small cock. 

"You, didn't have that last time, did you?" You ask trying to remember.

Mara blushes as she says, "No, but you have one and it looked like a lot of fun, so I made one for me." 

You look back at her dick, it's hard, but only about five inches long. You begin to wonder what would make her do this to herself, but notice she is staring at you.

"Oh, ok then." You say.

"Is it weird?" Mara replies. 

You shake your head and say, "No, I just wasn't expecting it, that's all." 

You smile and give her a kiss as you softly grasp her rigid cock. She coos and moans as you run your fingers over the head and your other hand reaches down and rubs her pussy. Mara squirms in your arms as you nibble on her ear and she lets out a soft moan. You begin kissing her neck and you feel her body tense up as warm, sticky cum spurts from the tip of her small cock and you slow your motions.

Mara looks back at you and says, "I had no idea, that felt so wonderful!" 

You smile as you bring your hands away from Mara and begin licking the cum from your hand. Mara giggles and grabs your other hand and mimics you, not caring one bit about tasting her own cum. 

After she sucks the last of it from your fingers, she says, "Can I... um, you know..." 

You smile and lay on your back, spreading your legs wide as Mara crawls up and aligns herself. She plunges in with no hesitation and if she were bigger, it might have hurt, but you hold back a laugh as the small girl humps away and makes some of the cutest faces you've ever seen. She pants in delight as she pumps her tiny dick in and out and you begin stroking your cock. 

You slowly jerk yourself, letting Mara have her fun, and then you feel her small hands around your cock. You let go as you look down and see she's stroking it, but also using it for leverage as she slams her hips into yours with reckless abandon. Eventually, Mara slows down and coos softly as she cums and her cream leaks from your pussy as she pulls out. 

"That feel good?" You ask with a smile.

Mara nods and says, "Yeah, now you do me!" 

She grabs your cock and puts the tip into her mouth as her tiny tongue flicks around your head. A long line of spit connects your cock and Mara's mouth as she lifts her head and smiles before standing up and stepping over you. She lowers herself and you hold your cock in position as her pussy makes contact and she slowly impales herself on your cock. You've never really thought of your cock as huge, but compared to Mara's body it feels that way. Her inner walls hug you tighter than any other pussy you've been inside, and you have to hold yourself back from hurrying her along as she slowly lowers herself onto your cock. 

Fully buried inside her, you both revel in the moment until you place your hands under Mara's legs and help her rise back up. She takes the hint and slowly builds speed as she bounces up and down on your cock. As she rides you her small cock flops around and she holds onto your shoulders for support. After a few blissful minutes, Mara leans back and puts her hands on the floor as you start to take over. You increase your pace, being careful not to hurt her as her tiny cock smacks her belly repeatedly. 

"Ahh, ahh, I'm, ahh, gonna, ahh..." Mara says as her cock begins spurting cum into the air as it bounces around.

Her cum hits your breasts and her own chin as you feel yourself getting close. You grab her small hips and pull almost all the way out before thrusting back in. Your cock erupts and you cum inside Mara's pussy as she is overwhelmed with ecstasy and hugs you tightly. After a few moments, she climbs off and lays down next to you with her head on your thigh. 

You lay back and admire the stars for a while before saying, "They're so pretty." 

You get no response and you sit up to see Mara is fast asleep. Letting out a soft laugh, you carry her to the water's edge and quickly clean yourself and Mara before carrying her to the tent and laying her next to Gwen. You lay beside them and close your eyes as you fall asleep thinking, 'I'm going to be exhausted tomorrow.'


	5. Reawakening

You awaken to noise coming from outside the tent and when you step out, you see two women trying to sneak away. They stop when they hear you emerge from the tent and as they turn around you get a better look at them. One of the women is a catgirl with curly blonde hair and the other is a harpy with long light green hair. 

The harpy is much taller than the catgirl and holds her close under her wing as she says, "Sorry about waking you, we didn't realize anyone was out here." 

You instinctively look back into the tent and see nothing is missing so you turn back to the women and reply, "No worries, we should probably get going anyways." 

"So, you wouldn't mind if we used your fire pit?" The catgirl asks and you look over and see the embers are still glowing. 

"Yeah, go ahead." You say as you return to the tent to wake the others. 

The catgirl happily gets the fire going again and the harpy floats up and glides over the lake. She stays there for a moment before stomping her foot into the water. She quickly lifts her leg and in her talons, you can see a fish wriggling as she tosses it to the cat girl. 

"Wow, nice catch." You say as you finish packing up your belongings. 

The catgirl looks over her shoulder as she prepares the fish and says, "Yeah, Stella could pluck every little fish out of that lake if she really wanted to. Oh, sorry, I'm Sadie." 

She quickly rinses her hand in the water and then offers it to you. 

You shake her slender hand and say, "I'm Mika, and this is Gwen, Kira, and Maria." 

Stella glides back to shore and hands Sadie two more fish before she says, "Well, there are plenty of fish in there, I could catch a few more if you're hungry." 

"Yeah, that sounds so good!" Kira cheers.

You smile and say, "If you don't mind, thanks." 

A few minutes later, Stella returns with more fish and you help Sadie prepare them before she cooks them over the fire. 

After the meal you say, "That was delicious, thank you." 

"Are you leaving?" Sadie asks.

"Yeah, we have some things to take care of, but it was nice meeting both of you." You reply. 

Stella smiles and says, "See you around then, be careful out there." 

You nod and reply, "You too." 

As you walk back to the front gates of the city Kira says, "They were nice huh?" 

"Yeah, I wonder if they live in town." You say in agreement.

"We should invite them over sometime! Sadie really knows how to cook fish." Kira adds. 

You laugh and say, "First things first, let's find Priscilla." 

Upon entering the gates, the guard greets you and you walk back to your house where you see Priscilla sitting on the small bench on your porch. 

"There you are, I was beginning to think you had left without me." Priscilla says as she stands.

"Sorry, we spent the night at the lake to see if Mara would remember anything." You reply, 

Priscilla looks to Mara and says, "Well?" 

Mara thinks for a moment and then shakes her head and says, "Nothing new, I'm sorry." 

Priscilla smiles and says, "These things take time, don't worry, I'm sure you'll be better before you know it." 

You kneel down to Mara and say, "Mara, when we find the demons, I might have to fight." You look to Gwen and continue, "Can you please keep an eye on her for me? I just... couldn't bear to lose her again." 

Mara smiles and says, "Leave it to me, she'll be just fine." 

You smile and nod before standing up and saying, "Let's drop this off at Bertand's place and then get going." 

The walk to Bertand's home is short and he opens the door and says, "Hello again Mika, I trust you have my package?" You hand him the box and he says, "Wonderful, another job well done. I actually have another task, if you're still looking for work." 

You shake your head and say, "Thanks, but we have something we need to look into." 

"Well, stay safe then. See you around." Bertand says waving goodbye. 

As your group heads out of the city, you begin walking south and say, "I've never really heard anyone talking about the wasteland before, is there anything out there?" 

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "No, it's completely barren, like the island was. No one talks about it because there's nothing to talk about, no one goes there, no one lives there." 

"I wonder why the demons would show up in a place like that?" You reply.

Eventually you come to the edge of the hills and the terrain flattens out, stretching into the horizon. A few sparse trees dot the landscape but they get fewer as you head further south, until you pass the last tree in sight and you can finally see your destination. The dried up, cracked earth crumbles into dust as you press on.

"This is kinda like the desert near Ardent, huh?" Kira says.

"Not exactly, I've been here once before and I took a few samples. I'm almost certain that the corruption is responsible somehow." Priscilla responds.

You are surprised and ask, "You mean like someone released that slime and it covered all of this? The island was pretty big, but you could fit twenty of them in this big of an area." 

Priscilla stops and thinks before saying, "There's no way to be sure, but I think something else happened." 

"Isn't there something in your history books about it? Something on this scale would have been recorded, right?" You ask.

Priscilla sighs and says, "No, unfortunately not. We only have records dating back to about one thousand years ago. There are some mentions of a cataclysmic event that nearly destroyed the world, but nothing about what actually happened." 

"What? How can no one know?" You ask.

"If the entire world was at the brink of destruction and people managed to survive, I imagine they would have nothing left. They would have to start over completely and teaching themselves how to survive must have taken precedence over preserving history. It's a shame, but it must have been their only choice. Of course this is all just my ramblings since there is no proof of anything." Priscilla replies. 

You nod and say, "That would make sense, but I wonder what happened back then?" 

Priscilla suddenly stops and says, "Look up ahead, can you see them?" 

You squint your eyes and can barely make out something in the distance. 

"Is that them?" You ask.

"Yes and that must be the monument they're building." Priscilla responds. 

You look around and say, "There's nowhere to hide, they'll see us coming. I guess that means we have no choice, let's find out what they're up to." 

Your group cautiously approaches and as you get close, some of the demons stop working and stare in your direction but remain motionless. You see now that they are building some kind of tower, about fifteen feet tall. It is jet black although it looks to be pieced together from oddly shaped chunks of black stone. One of the demons drops a piece of the monument when he sees you and he leaps down and lands in front of your group. 

The man points to you and says, "What are you waiting for? That's the one that killed Iliya, get her!" A few demons join him but most stand by and watch and the man scoffs as he says, "I'll deal with you weaklings after we're done here." 

Priscilla quickly throws a knife at the man and although he manages to catch it, he is caught off guard as Priscilla tackles him and begins stabbing him. He cries out in pain and not wanting to lose the element of surprise, you draw your sword and quickly drive it through a demon's chest. Kira transforms and draws an arrow as the three of you prepare to fight, but a demon woman screams and panic quickly spreads among the demons. 

"She'll kill us all, run!" The woman screams as she trips and falls and demons flee in every direction. 

You are unprepared for this response and stand in confusion until Priscilla says, "Mika, we should grab one and make them tell us what they were doing before they get away!" 

You nod and grab Gwen's hand as you see a demon running away close by. You chase after him and Priscilla follows close behind carrying Mara on her back. He runs around the crude monument but as you get close, a weak pulse of energy comes from the black stones.

"What was that?" Mara says fearfully. 

The demons appear to be just as interested and turn their attention to the monument, as it and Mara's eyes begin to glow. 

Priscilla looks over her shoulder at Mara and says, "What's wrong?" 

Before she can answer, another pulse of energy comes from the monument although it is much stronger this time and knocks everyone off their feet. Suddenly, a light shoots out of the monument and swirls around in the air before expanding. The bright white light gets closer and you brace yourself but it washes over you without harming you at all. You hear a rushing sound and the light is quickly pulled into a sphere that starts sucking in everything around it. The demons cheer and begin swarming towards the monument while you and Priscilla try to keep your group from being sucked in. 

The demons willingly throw themselves into the vortex one after another as the vacuum effect intensifies. With nothing to hold on to, you struggle against it with all your might. Gwen begins sliding and desperately struggles as she is pulled off her feet. Without hesitation you rush to Gwen as everyone is lifted into the air and you reach out, barely managing to grab a hold of her fingers. You pull her close and hold her tightly as you look back and see Priscilla holding Mara, as they too float up towards the vortex. 

"Kira!" You yell.

Over the loud rushing sound you faintly hear, "I'm back here!" 

You look over you shoulder and see Kira hanging onto your armor for dear life. You hold Gwen tightly as you carefully reach around and grab Kira, holding them both close to your chest as you are sucked into the swirling vortex. Inside it is completely dark, you can't even see Gwen right in front of your face. After a few tense moments, the darkness disappears and you are suddenly floating high in the sky. You begin to fall and recognize that you are directly above Ardent City. As you plummet, you know Priscilla can take a landing like this, but you on the other hand are racing towards a cobblestone street and you make a split second decision. 

You manage to turn your back to the oncoming city as you hold Gwen and Kira close and say, "Hold on to me." 

Kira looks at you with tears in her eyes and yells, "Mika!" 

You close your eyes and prepare for the worst when you feel a rough impact, and you open your eyes to see red hands carrying you through the air. You look up and see Astrid has caught you as she lands on a nearby rooftop.

"Damn you all are heavy, what the hell is going on?" Astrid says. 

She sets you down and you let Gwen and Kira go before saying, "I don't know, the demons activated some kind of portal and it took us here. We need to catch one and make them talk." 

Astrid smiles and says, "You always forget to invite me when your having fun." She hops down effortlessly from the rooftop and looks to you before saying, "What are you waiting for?" 

"Without my powers, I'd break my legs." You say with a small laugh.

Astrid rolls her eyes and stretches out her arms. 

"Hurry up, or I might decide not to catch you." Astrid says with a sigh and you smile before leading Gwen to the edge. 

"Jump, I promise it's safe." You say and Gwen nods before jumping into Astrid's arms. 

She lets Gwen down and holds her arms out again as you leap off and she catches you. You get to your feet and thank her as she scoffs.

"This all you got now?" Astrid says. 

You smile and say, "Let's find these demons and I'll show you." 

Above the city, a swirling vortex spits out demons and they rain down from the sky until it suddenly dissipates. Surprisingly they aren't attacking the city, but rather seem to be in a state of confusion as they scramble around the streets.

"There's one!" Astrid says as she takes off after a demon trying to scale a building. 

She leaps up and rips him off the wall, throwing him onto the street with a sickening thud. The demon tries to get up but you place your blade against his neck as Astrid drops down to the ground and walks over to him. 

The demon appears to give in and sits down as Astrid says, "What the hell is all this?" 

The demon looks around and says in a defeated voice, "A failure." 

Astrid gets angry but Priscilla approaches and says, "Mika, are you all alright?" 

"Yeah we're ok, how about you?" You ask relieved to see her. 

"I'm fine, but Mara seems to be unconscious. The monument must have used her power to activate that portal. I think she's alright, but we should let her rest." Priscilla says as she cradles Mara. 

You nod and say, "We caught one." 

Priscilla looks past you and sees the demon sitting on the street and she walks over to him before asking, "Why are demons trying to get to Ardent City?" 

The demon looks up and says, "We don't care about your city, we were trying to get back to our realm." 

"What? What are you talking about?" Priscilla asks.

The man scoffs and says, "It doesn't matter anymore, we couldn't tune the monolith to our realm like we intended, but we thought we had found the royal bloodline. It turns out we locked on to you instead without realizing it." 

The man looks at Astrid with contempt, as if it's her fault they failed. 

Astrid crouches down beside the man and cracks her knuckles as she says, "And what the hell is that supposed to mean?" 

"It means you ruined our only chance to return to our world!" The man yells.

Astrid smiles and hits him so hard he falls to the ground. 

"I didn't do anything asshole, so fuck you!" Astrid yells.

"Calm down Astrid." You say as the man spits blood onto the street. 

He sits back up and looks at you as he says, "Get on with it then, 'demon slayer', I have nothing more to say to you." 

You look at your blade against his throat and your hand trembles for a moment before you grip your sword tightly. You realize you killed the other demons in cold blood. You assumed they were doing something wrong and cut them down without a second thought. 

Astrid sees you hesitate and says, "What are you doing?" 

You sheathe your sword and say, "I made a mistake, I didn't know you were only trying to get back home." 

You extend your hand to the man but he slaps it away and says, "So you'd exile us to a world that despises our very existence instead of just finishing what you started? Do you think yourself noble, righteous? We may have been used by Iliya like pawns, but at least she had the conviction to see things through to the end! You're just a half hearted fool given power that didn't belong to..." 

Astrid cuts him off by grabbing his throat and you can tell she is squeezing as hard as she can as she says, "Are you stupid or something? She spared your pathetic life and that's what you have to say?" 

The man chokes and gasps for air as you say, "Let him go." 

Astrid sighs and stands up still holding the demon by his throat. She grunts as she throws the demon clear over the city walls.

She looks back at you while saying, "If I see him again, I'm killing him. End of story." 

You sigh and think to yourself, 'He probably wouldn't have told us anything else, oh well.' 

"Right, well let's get Mara inside, she needs to rest." You say.

"Come with me to the brothel, I wanna make sure everything's alright." Astrid replies. 

You agree and your group follows Astrid around a corner. Despite the numerous demons that exited the portal, they seemed to have realized their plans have failed and most are retreating from the city.

"It doesn't look like the city was damaged, that's good." You say.

"As if I'd let those weaklings just waltz around my city." Astrid responds. 

You laugh and Priscilla says, "It's good to see you again Astrid." 

Astrid looks back and seems confused as she says, "Yeah you too, what's with the kid?" 

"It's a long story, let's get her into bed first, then we can talk." Priscilla says with a sigh. 

After a few minutes, you turn a corner and see C.C.'s mansion sized brothel.

Astrid opens the doors and a dark skinned puppygirl greets her, "Welcome back Mistress, are these new clients?" 

"Hey go get C.C. Tell her that her friends are here." Astrid says ignoring the girl's question. 

"Right away ma'am!" She says before quickly ascending the stairs.

"Mistress? I didn't know you..." You begin.

Astrid cuts you off and says, "Shut the hell up. C.C. told them to call me that as a joke, but now they all think I'm a goddamn dominatrix." 

You smile but decide to drop the subject as C.C. descends the stairs and says, "Mika, and you brought everyone else too, how wonderful. I'm so glad to see you all again." 

C.C. gives you a big hug and you let out a small laugh as you embrace her back and say, "Me too, it looks like you're doing even better than before." 

"Of course, I do one thing and I do it well, haha." C.C. replies before she notices Gwen. "Gwen! You look so pretty, how have you been?" C.C. kisses Gwen right on the lips and Gwen giggles. "Still no change?" C.C. asks.

You shake your head and say, "Nothing yet, but there might be a way." 

C.C. cocks her head and says, "Oh really, what is it?" 

You turn and point to Mara as she sleeps in Priscilla's arms and say, "That little girl is actually the goddess Mara." 

"What!?" Astrid and C.C. blurt out in unison. 

"I know, I know, but it really is her. She lost her memories and I'm trying to help her get them back. I think once she has enough power, she can undo whatever Iliya did to Gwen." You briefly explain.

C.C. looks to Mara with excitement but Astrid looks unconvinced. 

"Really? That's completely ridiculous." Astrid says looking at Mara.

You motion for her to keep her voice down and say, "If you have doubts that's fine but don't say anything that could hurt her feelings. I don't know why, but she seems to be a normal child sometimes. She cries, she gets angry, but other times she's happy and carefree. The real Mara is in there somewhere, but this little girl is also Mara. I know it's confusing, but just go along with it." 

"I've analyzed her and I believe what Mika is saying. She has also demonstrated very unusual abilities." Priscilla adds.

"Maybe so, but I can't believe in anything I can't see for myself." Astrid says.

C.C. spanks Astrid and she flinches as C.C. says, "Don't be like that, Priscilla and Mika believe her. That's good enough for me." Astrid sighs and C.C. asks, "So did you bring her by to jog her memory?" 

"Actually, we were in the southern wastelands. The demons have been seen there recently for some reason." You reply as you sit down.

Priscilla nods and continues, "Yes, and they were constructing some kind of monument. The one we caught said they were trying to use it to create a portal back to the demon world, but they couldn't so they tried linking it to the royal bloodline instead." 

C.C. looks surprised and says, "I didn't know the demons had royalty." 

"Neither did we." You respond.

"Then why did they choose me as the target? Like hell I'm royalty." Astrid says. 

Priscilla thinks for a moment and then says, "I don't think the demons knew what they were doing, even the monument looked haphazardly built. They might have found your demonic energy and mistaken it for one of the royal family in their desperation. If you were royalty, I doubt that demon would have acted so casually." 

Astrid agrees and then Mara yawns and opens her eyes. Priscilla helps her stand as Mara rubs her eyes.

"Are you ok?" You ask.

Mara nods and says, "I think I remembered something, but... I wasn't myself in the dream." 

"What do you mean?" Priscilla asks.

"There were two goddesses, and they were fighting against the corruption. One was really nice, I think her name was Eris, and the other was really strong." Mara explains.

"Eris? I've never heard of her. What was the other one's name?" Priscilla asks.

Mara thinks before saying, "I... don't know. I was seeing everything through her eyes." 

"So you couldn't see her face then?" Priscilla asks.

"No, but whenever she used magic, it felt... familiar. I want to try something Mika." Mara replies. 

You nod and Mara walks over and places her hands on either side of your face. 

"What are you..." You begin.

Mara closes her eyes and says, "Shhh." 

You feel a strange sensation coming from Mara's hands and it reverberates throughout your body. 

"Can you feel that Mika?" Mara asks.

"I think so, what's happening?" You respond. 

"Just try to concentrate on it, ok?" Mara says softly.

You nod and close your eyes as you begin to clear your mind. As the world fades away, you feel like something is pouring over you, but not entering your body. You focus your senses and remember how you used to channel energy throughout your body. 

It's an intangible technique that you never really understood, but you begin to feel something stirring within your chest. You take a slow deep breath and imagine the energy flowing into yourself, and as you exhale it courses through your body. After a few more deep breaths, you begin to feel something happening. 

A warmth spreads from your chest to the rest of your body and as you breathe, you begin to feel more energized. You begin to feel Mara's frequency and try to match it, thinking it will ease the process. It is very difficult after a year of not using magic, but you finally match Mara's frequency and suddenly her power feels like it's flowing directly into you. 

Your body absorbs the energy on its own now and you start to feel like this might be enough. You open your eyes and smile at Mara, but realize she is struggling to stay conscious and you immediately cut the flow of energy as she falls to her knees. 

"Are you alright? What happened?" You ask with concern.

Mara weakly smiles and says, "I gave you some of my power, you should be able to use magic now." 

A small amount of blood drips from Mara's nose and you ask, "Why did you do that if you weren't ready?" 

Priscilla helps Mara wipe the blood away and she says, "I was ready, but I accidentally gave you more than I meant to." 

You look at your hands and say, "What? How much more?" 

Mara looks down and says, "A lot... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do it, but our energy synced up and I lost control." 

You shake your head and say, "It's ok, I think. What happens if I have too much?" 

Mara looks worried and says, "I'm not really sure. I can't remember very much, but I just have a bad feeling about it. A little is ok, but you can't overdo it." 

"Why is that?" Priscilla asks.

Mara looks frustrated and says, "I don't know, it's... just a feeling." 

You want to ask Mara if she can help Gwen now, but with her lack of control, it might not be the best time. 

"So, I can really use magic again?" You ask excitedly. 

Mara nods and says, "Yeah go try it out!" 

You get up and everyone follows you out back, just as eager to see your power as you are. You look up into the night sky and raise your hand as you close your eyes. You feel the energy rush through your arm and a massive stream of purple electricity shoots high into the clouds. Out of everyone, you are the most surprised by this, mostly because you only meant to fire a small blast. You smile and cut the flow of magic but suddenly black electricity arcs around your hand before it explodes. You are knocked off your feet and your hand is blackened by the blast. 

"Are you alright?" C.C. asks as she glides over and looks at your injury. 

You gasp as she touches the charred flesh, "Ah! Damn, what happened?" 

"I don't know." C.C. replies.

Mara runs over and says, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to help, I feel so worthless. What kind of goddess hurts the people she cares about?" 

You smile through the pain and say, "Hey it's my fault for being so clumsy. I forgot how careful I have to be, that's all." 

Mara kneels down and her hands hover above your burned skin as her eyes begin to glow. 

"I should be able to heal you, so just stay still." Mara says as a soft green glow appears around your hand and the pain instantly lessens. 

You watch in amazement as your flesh regrows right before your eyes. You've been healed before, but this is happening so fast it's hard to believe. 'This must be the power of a goddess.' You think to yourself as Mara finishes up and lowers her hands. 

"Thanks." You say with a smile.

Mara looks sad and says, "It was my fault, I..." 

You shake your head and say, "No, I meant for giving me my powers back. I've tried to tell myself I didn't need them anymore, but the truth is I was getting left behind. Now I can pull my weight and..." 

Mara cuts you off and says, "Mika, it's not just about learning to control your power. You can't use them as much as you did last time. At least until I can take some of it back from you and it's safer." 

You are slightly disappointed but say, "Alright, I understand." 

"Well, that was quite the display." Priscilla says with a smile.

"Yeah, how cool. We should celebrate now, haha!" C.C. adds. 

"Perhaps we should get going, we still don't know what was going on with the demons." Priscilla suggests.

"Yeah I guess you're right." You reply. 

C.C. wraps her arm around you while she says, "Oh come on, there aren't even any airships leaving tonight anyways." 

You look back at her and say, "Really? Why not?" 

C.C. giggles and says, "The area around Ardent City has always been the most dangerous, no one wants to risk flying all the way out here in the dark. The last airship out of town always leaves just before sundown." 

You shrug and say, "I guess we celebrate then." 

You smile while Kira and C.C. cheer. 

Priscilla sighs and says, "Sounds like our luck. Well, since we're here, I'd like to grab a few parts from the machine shop." 

You nod and say, "Alright, we'll be here when you get back." 

"Actually, Kira, would you mind coming with me?" Priscilla asks.

"Aww, do I have to?" Kira whines. 

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "Of course not, but I could use your help." 

"My help?" Kira asks.

Priscilla responds, "Yes, your small hands would help with something I've been tinkering with." 

Kira looks at her hands and then says, "Ok, but you owe me. I want a really big glass of Fenti wine and Mika can't have any of it!" 

You and Priscilla both laugh and she says, "Alright, deal. We'll see you later then." 

As they walk away, you notice Mara looks tired and say, "Hey C.C. can Mara stay in one of the rooms? She looks like she needs some more rest." 

C.C. nods and says, "Of course, Mara honey, come with me and I'll show you a room with a really big bed you can stretch out on, ok?" 

Mara nods and says, "Thank you... you were there with Mika, fighting against Iliya weren't you?" 

C.C. nods and says, "Yup. Astrid too, but that was a while ago. We don't really fight anymore, it's been pretty peaceful." 

Mara smiles and says, "I'm glad." 

C.C. shows Mara to her room and returns a few minutes later with two big bottles of wine.

"Ready to have some fun?" C.C. says with a grin.

You smile and say, "Hell yeah!"


	6. Backfire

"Alright girls, someone put the closed sign out front and let's party!" C.C. cheers and you see a familiar face approach you with drinks. 

"Hey Marlene, nice to see you." You say and the mousegirl smiles and hands you a drink.

"You look good Mika, so this party is for you then?" Marlene asks.

You take a drink and say, "Yeah, I guess so." 

Marlene laughs and says, "Well, let loose then! Have another drink!" 

You gulp down the last of the wine before she hands you another glass and says, "I'm gonna go get some more, looks like we're gonna need it tonight. Have fun!" 

Round after round, the brothel grows louder as everyone drinks and laughs. Time passes and as you watch your friends having fun you are reminded of the party they threw after you killed Iliya. Some time later, you notice Priscilla and Kira return and they too join the festivities. From your seat at the bar, you see C.C. is giving Gwen wine and she makes a disgusted face as she takes a sip. 

You laugh and say, "I wonder if she can hold it. I've never seen her drink before." 

C.C. giggles as Gwen tries to drink the wine quickly like everyone else. Astrid calls you over to the nearby couch and you shakily get up and throw yourself onto the couch beside her. 

"What's up?" You say slurring your words slightly. 

"I was gonna say we should drink some of this, but you seem pretty tipsy already." Astrid says with a laugh.

Astrid holds up a small bottle of alcohol and you smile and say, "You can't back down after you challenge me like that." 

Astrid grins and says, "Well, if you wanna lose so badly..." 

"Yeah right, I bet I can drink you under the table." You say a bit too confidently. 

Astrid raises an eyebrow and says, "Really now, let's make a bet then. Loser has to do whatever the winner says, deal?" 

You nod and say, "Deal, let's do this." 

Astrid opens the bottle and the smell is incredibly strong. As she pours two shots, the smell makes your eyes water and you immediately regret pushing her into this. Astrid slides you a glass and holds hers up. 

You take the glass and hesitantly say, "Cheers." 

You quickly chug the light brown liquid and your throat and mouth are instantly set ablaze. Your eyes water and you cough, but you manage to keep it down.

Astrid laughs and says, "Here's another one, it should help with the burning." 

You hold your glass out and she fills it up again. You close your eyes and throw your head back as you pour it down your throat. As you thought, it does nothing to alleviate the burning sensation and you look around but see only more alcohol. 

"No chasers, that wasn't part of the deal. Come on is this all you've got?" Astrid teases.

You take a deep breath and say, "Another. Come on let's go." 

Astrid is smiling more than you've ever seen as she pours you and her another shot. She downs hers and slams the small glass on the table as you take another deep breath and quickly take the shot. It's hard to swallow but you get it down and make a disgusted face as Astrid laughs harder. 

"Had enough yet, or are you gonna puke all over our nice furniture?" Astrid says with a wide grin. 

The room is spinning now and you mumble, "I'm... no, I'm... done. You win." 

You lean your head back and close your eyes as your head rush intensifies. You can hear Astrid laughing, then you vaguely hear C.C.'s voice saying something. You open your eyes and see Astrid showing the bottle to C.C. and she looks upset. 

"It's fine, she didn't drink that much, she'll be fine." Astrid says between laughs.

C.C. takes the bottle and says, "Mika are you feeling alright? This is very strong, even for demons. How much did you drink?" 

You smile and say, "I'm, alright... I need to throw up." 

C.C. yells at Astrid and she makes her take you outside where you vomit profusely into the bushes out back. 

"Haha sorry Mika, I couldn't resist. She's right though I'm hammered, I can't believe you're still walking around." 

You shakily raise your head and say, "Yeah, you know me, I..." 

You vomit more into the bushes as Astrid giggles and holds your hair back. 

"Looks like I won huh?" Astrid says.

You wipe your mouth and spit again before saying, "Yeah, so what now?" 

Astrid looks you over and says, "Well first go to the restroom and clean yourself up, you look like a corpse. I'm sure I'll think of something later." 

You take her advice and head to the restroom as Astrid rejoins the party. After splashing some water on your face and rinsing your mouth out you feel better, somewhat, so you head back to where everyone has gathered in the front room. The whole room smells of alcohol and it shows on everyone's face as they smile and laugh the night away. 

You spot Astrid on a couch and sit next to her as she says, "Horny little devil, aren't you going to stop her? That's your girlfriend, isn't it?" 

You look over and see Gwen lying naked on the floor as C.C. buries her face in her pussy. Gwen moans and writhes as C.C. works her tongue and suddenly Gwen grabs C.C.'s head and holds it between her legs as she moans loudly. 

"It looks like she's enjoying herself." You say.

Astrid responds, "Oh really, well C.C. took the rest of my booze, so I'm not." 

Astrid has a slight smile on her face as she watches Gwen orgasm, and you think you know what she has in mind. 

You look to Astrid and give your best puppy dog eyes as you say, "Is there anything I can do?" 

You see the lust clearly building on her face and Astrid says, "Hmm, maybe there is. Strip." 

You smile as you get to your feet and remove your clothes. You stand naked for a few moments as Astrid looks you over and smiles. 

"Sit." Astrid says as she stands up.

You comply and sit on the floor as Astrid places a slender red foot on your shoulder and then pushes you onto your back. She takes off her corset and drops it on the floor next to you as her foot traces around your belly before touching your cock. 

"Stay still." Astrid says.

You nod as she fondles your cock with her toes and then moves down to your pussy. You moan and feel more excited than usual, something about her commanding you like this is really turning you on. 

Astrid turns around and kneels over your face while she says, "Make me cum." 

She moves her underwear aside and drops her pussy down onto your waiting mouth and you almost drown in her juices. She's so wet! You slurp and lick her dark red pussy and you feel her body shudder as she moans. Astrid puts more of her weight down on your face and grinds her clit along your tongue as she wraps her thin tail around your neck. You can hardly breathe, but you're too horny to care as you greedily lick Astrid's pussy. 

You reach up and hold onto her fleshy ass as she mashes her pussy into your mouth. Astrid moans and you feel her body tense up as her legs pin your head between them and she cums into your mouth. Juices leak from her slit and you happily lap them all up as your cock twitches for attention. 

Astrid gets off and motions for you to stand and when you do, she wastes no time and takes your cock into her mouth. Your knees get weak for a moment as Astrid bobs her head on your cock and without thinking, you grab her by the horns and start gently thrusting into her mouth. She seems annoyed at first, trying to shake off your hands without letting your cock out of her mouth, but gives up when she realizes you're not going to go overboard. 

You guide her mouth all the way down your cock and her bottom lip kisses against your clit. You moan and continue slowly fucking Astrid's mouth until you feel your orgasm approaching. Astrid sees the look in your eyes and works her fingers into your pussy as she increases her pace. Seconds before you erupt, Astrid suddenly stops and stands up. 

"Turn around." Astrid says.

"What? I..." You reply in confusion. 

"I won remember, we're doing what I want." She says before turning you around and bending you over. 

You give her a disappointed look and she slaps your ass hard. 

"Ow!" You cry out and Astrid laughs as she lets you go for a moment. 

You look back and see she has gotten a strap on from somewhere and she says, "Get ready Mika." 

You hope she doesn't go crazy with this but you really can't do much about it. You shake your ass seductively and Astrid smiles as she puts the tip of the fake cock against your pussy. She slides it in and is met with little resistance. Eating her out really turned you on and you were practically dripping before she entered you. Astrid can't feel anything from the dildo but she definitely seems to be enjoying herself, maybe she really is a dominatrix. 

You couldn't care less because you can feel every inch of pleasure as Astrid fucks you harder and her hips slap against your ass. Your breasts bounce and your cock slaps your stomach so hard it stings. You grab your cock and try to stroke it but have a hard time staying upright while Astrid pounds away. 

She realizes what you're trying to do and slaps your hand away before grabbing both of your wrists and using them as leverage. Astrid pins your hands against your lower back and fucks even harder now, sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. You feel your breath shortening and know you're on the verge of climax. Astrid increases her pace to a furious speed and you cry out in pleasure as your cock erupts. 

Cum flies into the air as your cock bounces up and down before Astrid suddenly pulls out and places her hand over your clit. Mid orgasm, Astrid begins rubbing your clit with the same intensity as when she was fucking you and you feel another wave of pleasure crash over you. Your knees weaken and Astrid smiles as she helps you stand and continues rubbing your pussy. 

You gasp and hold your face against her shoulder as another orgasm crashes over you and you feel your legs twitch. Your pussy spasms and squirts cum onto the floor as Astrid finally relents. Your quivering pussy squirts a few more small streams of cum before you collapse into Astrid's arms. 

Your legs tremble and you breathe deeply as Astrid giggles and says, "Yeah, I won." 

She sits back on the couch still naked and crosses her legs before gesturing for you to join her. You wearily sit on the couch and you suddenly feel very tired. You yawn and lay down using Astrid's lap as a pillow. 

"Hey you can't... Damn it. Just for a little while, then you're gonna make me cum again, you hear?" 

You slowly nod but are already half asleep. You awaken in the morning to find Marlene between your legs, slowly licking your pussy. 

"Sorry, did I wake you? You just looked so cute all passed out I couldn't help myself." Marlene says wiping your juices from her lips.

You rub your eyes and try to sit up but are met with a knife like pain in your head. 

"Ughh, I feel like shit..." You say groggily.

You shield your eyes from the daylight pouring in through the large front windows and see Gwen asleep on a nearby couch. 

"Well, it looks like you certainly had fun last night." Priscilla says as she descends the stairs with Kira.

"I'll get you some water, hon." Marlene says. 

As she walks away you say, "Yeah, Astrid challenged me to a drinking game. I should have known better." 

You smile and then lay your head back and take a deep breath. 

"Hey, ready for round two? I found where C.C. hid my booze." Astrid says with a smile as she enters the room. 

"No, I've learned my lesson." You reply.

Astrid laughs before saying, "Damn right, you didn't even make it to five." 

You rub your head and say, "From what I remember, I held up my end of the deal." 

You smile at her and she says, "You passed out, it didn't count. You still owe me." 

You laugh as C.C. enters the room and says, "The food is ready, oh Mika you're awake. Feeling better I hope." 

You slowly nod and she says, "Well you know my cooking can beat a hangover any day, so come eat. I'll wake up Gwen." 

You thank her and follow everyone to the dining room in the back. It is a large room with many tables pushed together to form several large tables, and you sit down and try to calm the typhoon brewing in your stomach. 

Gwen enters the room and sits next to you as she yawns and you brush her hair out of her face. Marlene and Remi enter from the kitchen pushing in cart after cart of delicious looking food. They spread out the food like a buffet and everyone serves themselves.

C.C. raises her glass and says, "Dig in everybody!" 

You only took a small portion at first, but after eating a little bit you start to feel better so you try some of the other foods. 

"Is that good?" Kira asks.

You nod as you bite into some kind of meat. You've stopped trying to guess what kinds of animals you've been eating and just rely on taste at this point. Whatever it is, it's juicy and tender with a slightly smoky flavor. 

"Yeah, I don't know how she does it, but C.C.'s cooking really can cure hangovers." You say with a smile.

C.C. overhears and replies, "Thank you, not to sound conceited, but I always like to hear how much people enjoy my cooking." 

Astrid laughs and says, "Yeah, totally not conceited." 

C.C. folds her arms and says, "I enjoy hearing people tell me they like me for something besides sex, there a problem with that?"

You shake your head and say, "I think it's great, even when we were all together back then, your cooking saved us from having to eat little snakes and lizards and stuff in the wild. I was always grateful." 

C.C. smiles and says, "Thanks Mika, anyways, the docks are pretty busy right now so when you're all ready we should get going." 

"Do you have a ship ready?" Priscilla asks.

"Yeah, I always use a certain transport company to move girls between my businesses. I already paid for our tickets." C.C. responds. 

"When are they leaving?" You ask.

"In about two hours, so no rush. They're going to Cyldell but they need to stop in Valen to refuel, so we can get off there." C.C. says. 

"We? You're coming with us?" You ask.

"Well yeah, why wouldn't we? This sounds like so much fun!" C.C. responds. 

Astrid scoffs and says, "What do you mean we?" 

C.C. smiles and says, "Oh, you're right Astrid. There's no reason for you to go. We'll just go see what's happening out there and leave you here, all by yourself." 

Astrid folds her arms and says, "Hmph, whatever. I guess I'll go along, it's not like I have anything better to do." 

You look around and say, "Where's Mara?" 

You feel a tug on your shirt and turn around as Mara says, "I woke up a little while before you." 

"Sorry, I wasn't feeling well earlier, how are you? Remember anything new?" You ask.

Mara shakes her head and says, "Nothing yet." 

"If Mara wouldn't mind, I'd like to run a few more tests when we get to Valen. Kira helped me put together something and when I connect it to my computer, it should give us a few more answers." Priscilla says.

Mara nods and replies, "Ok, sure. It's kind of fun seeing the machines light up." 

After everyone has finished eating, you let C.C. take the lead and follow her to the docks where you take the lift to the top. C.C. leads you to a modestly sized airship and she waves at the crewmen who stumble as they race to extend the ramp for her. 

You follow her aboard and ask Astrid, "Why does she only use this company?" 

Astrid shrugs and says, "They're reliable I guess, they are transporting very expensive merchandise you know." 

C.C. greets the captain and he introduces himself, "Greetings, my name is Lokan Murgello, but you can just call me captain. Make yourselves comfortable, down below we have a few rooms and a fully stocked bar." 

You follow everyone but stop and ask the captain, "Um, excuse me, are you going to use a magicore on this trip?" 

The captain looks confused and says, "No, I'm afraid this ship isn't outfitted with magicore engines. Even so, it should only take a day and a half to get to Valen City." 

You nod and say, "That's perfect, do you mind if I go out on the deck during the trip?" 

He shrugs and replies, "I don't see why not, what are you going to do?" 

You won't be able to hide it if you start training, so you decide to just tell him and say, "I'm going to be using magic." 

Lokan doesn't look thrilled but before he can protest C.C. says, "Just let her, I promise she won't break anything." 

Lokan sighs and says, "Fine, just be careful." 

You thank him and enter the bridge, making your way down to the lounge area where Priscilla says, "This is quite nice." 

C.C. sits near the bar and says, "I wanted to make sure my girls were comfortable when they traveled." 

You lead Gwen over to a sofa and say, "I'm gonna go outside, stay here with Kira ok?" 

Gwen nods and Kira says, "Don't get blown up this time." 

You smile and as you walk away you begin to focus and can feel your energy swirling around inside you. You step out onto the deck as your hair flows in the wind and concentrate on your energy. Compared to when you fought Iliya, your energy feels different now, like it has no limits, but you know how easily you could end up hurting yourself. You go through the motions slowly, directing energy into your hands and gathering it as flames dance around your fingertips. 

You extend your hands over the railing and a maelstrom of fire erupts from them. The heat is intense and you try to weaken the blast to a more manageable level. You are barely using any energy to create this fire storm so it is difficult to use less, but you manage to decrease the size of the blast. 

It shrinks until it is about the size you could create a year ago. This level of restraint is demanding and you carefully cut the flow of magic and sit against the railing as the wind rushes through your hair. You look at your hands and wonder if this is why Mara has such a hard time controlling her power. If so, it makes a lot more sense why she doesn't want to try and help Gwen yet. 

You sink deeper into your thoughts as you think to yourself, 'Mara said not to rely on this power like I used to, but I can feel the energy resonating with me. I know I can learn to control it, and then maybe I can fix Gwen, and even take us back home...' You clench your fist and are more determined than ever as you stand back up and continue firing spells into the air as time flies by. You decide to skip lunch since you aren't using that much energy. 

As the hours pass, the sun begins to set and as you charge your energy again, C.C. exits the bridge and says, "Hey, you hungry?" 

Her words distract you, just as you release the spell and it only gets a few inches away before it explodes. 

You are thrown off your feet and C.C. rushes over and says, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to distract you! Oh gods, look at your hand!" 

You look down and see the tip of your middle finger has been split wide open, as blood gushes down your hand. The blood makes it hard to see, but you can feel most of your hand is covered with similar cuts. 

"It's alright..." You say in pain as C.C. helps you to your feet. 

She quickly takes her shirt off and wraps it around your hand as she ushers you inside and calls for Mara. C.C. leads you to one of the rooms and Mara enters not long after. 

"Can you heal her Mara?" C.C. asks.

Mara nods as she places her hands over yours and a soft green light envelops them. 

C.C. sighs in relief and you say, "Don't feel bad C.C., in a fight, there's gonna be a lot more going on than someone talking to me. I need to be more careful." 

Mara looks worried as you smile and C.C. says, "I know. Well hurry up and get better, dinner's ready." 

C.C. walks out of the room and a few minutes later Mara is finished healing your wounds. 

"How are you feeling?" You ask.

"Healing something small like this isn't hard, I'm ok." Mara replies. 

"That's good, sorry about overdoing it again." You say.

Mara hugs you before she says, "You're the first real friend I've ever had. You have all these people willing to help, so please don't try to do everything yourself." 

You are surprised by her words and hug her back while saying, "I'll be more careful, I promise." 

You stand up and lead Mara to the lounge area where everyone is eating. The two of you sit and C.C. serves you both.

"You ok Mika, I heard that explosion from in here." Kira says. 

You nod and say, "Yeah, Mara fixed me up." 

After eating, you spend some time chatting with your friends before yawning and deciding to call it a night. Gwen takes your hand and you lead her into one of the rooms as Kira and Mara follow close behind. The rooms are decently sized as are the beds, but as Mara climbs in next to you and Gwen it feels a little cramped. 

Kira lays herself on the pillow next to Gwen and you say, "You know there are enough rooms for everyone, right?" 

Mara looks surprised and says, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't... I'll go then." 

You let out a small laugh and say, "You can stay if you want." 

Mara smiles and gets under the blanket as you close your eyes. You are tired after that big meal and try to sleep but Mara keeps fidgeting under the blanket and then she rolls over and looks at you.

"Um, Mika? Can you..." Mara whispers. 

You feel her small cock, slick with pre cum, rubbing against your arm. You sigh and roll over to face Mara. She turns around and lays her back against you as your hand slowly feels its way around Mara's slender thighs. Her cock drips more pre cum as you wrap your fingers around the shaft and begin slowly stroking. Mara is breathing shallowly and you lean your head down and nibble on her ear as your finger traces around her sensitive dickhead. 

She moans softly and her hips hump into your hand as you close your eyes and stroke her cock. A few minutes later, Mara whimpers and you feel her warm cum spurting onto the bed. You release Mara's cock as she breathes heavily and lay your head back on the pillow. Mara whispers a thank you under her breath and you nod as you cuddle the small girl and fall asleep.


	7. The Divine Link

Sometime in the afternoon, you wake up and see Mara and Kira are still sleeping. You climb out of bed and head to the lounge where you see Gwen eating with Astrid and Priscilla. 

You join them and C.C. serves you before sitting down herself and saying, "We're almost to Valen already, you slept for a long time." 

"Yeah, I guess I was more tired than I thought." You reply. 

After eating Priscilla says, "Do you mind if Mara comes with me when we get to Valen? I want to get started as soon as possible." 

You nod and say, "Yeah sure, I don't mind. What kind of machine did you build this time?" 

"It's only a component, but when I connect it to the scanning machine it should give more accurate information." Priscilla says holding up a small silver box in her palm. You take a closer look as she says, "With this, hopefully we can make sense of those abnormal readings we got from Mara last time. I made sure to calibrate it to handle the improbable numbers it's likely to encounter." 

You nod and say, "Ok, so it's an upgrade for your machine back home and it will be able to tell us more about Mara?" 

"Yes, in theory." Priscilla responds.

"Sounds boring, guess I'll have to find something to do while you're experimenting on that girl." Astrid says. 

"Experimenting would imply I'm trying to invoke a change. No, I'm simply studying Mara as she naturally is. As it stands, when she regains her memories her powers also return and that alone is a fascinating process to watch." Priscilla explains. 

Astrid scoffs as you return to the room and wake Mara and Kira so they can eat before the ship lands. As they finish their meal, the ship touches down and you gather your belongings before taking the lift down into Valen City. 

Priscilla takes Mara's hand and says, "Well, shall we go then?" 

Mara nods and follows Priscilla as Astrid says, "I'm gonna go to the tavern, see you later." 

C.C. taps Kira and says, "Hey, wanna go shopping with me? I'll buy you some cute stuff." 

Kira cheers and they head towards the market as you turn to Gwen and say, "Let's go home." 

Gwen follows you home and once inside, you remove your armor and Gwen's as well. 

You set your sword down by the leather armor and say, "Hey, wanna go say hi to Lenore?" 

Gwen nods and you lead her outside. You take her to the centaur's weapon shop and Lenore greets you as you enter. 

"Hello Mika, what brings you here?" Lenore says with a smile. 

"We just dropped by because I wanted to thank you again for taking care of Gwen. I was thinking I could take you out for dinner or something." 

"That's sweet of you, but how about you come over to my house instead. I'll cook you a meal better than any restaurant can." Lenore says.

"Are you sure? It doesn't seem much like a thank you if you cook for me." You reply. 

Lenore laughs and says, "I insist, in fact, I was thinking about closing shop early today. Why don't we leave now?" 

You shrug and say, "Ok, if it's alright with you." 

Lenore smiles and says, "Give me a few minutes to close up and I'll meet you out front." 

You exit the shop and a few minutes later Lenore walks out with Lilith and locks the door behind her. 

"Oh hey Lilith, I didn't know you were here." You say.

"I was in the back, we've been pretty slow today." Lilith responds. 

"Lilith, why don't you take Gwen out to eat?" Lenore says.

"Ok sure!" Lilith replies. 

The snake girl grabs Gwen's hand and they giggle as they walk away. 

You look at Lenore and ask, "Have something special in mind?" 

Lenore smiles and motions for you to follow her as she says, "Maybe, you'll just have to wait and see." 

You follow Lenore down a few streets and she stops in front of a small house. 

"This is me, and by the way, the furniture might look strange but it's made for centaurs, that's all." Lenore says as she opens the door and leads you inside. 

You notice the odd looking chairs and assume this is what Lenore meant by weird furniture. They are low and the seat is long and padded to allow her horse half to sit while her human half rests at table level. 

"Well, what do you think?" Lenore asks.

"It's cozy, it reminds me of my old house." You reply. 

Lenore cocks her head and says, "I thought the house in Valen was your first?" 

"Well yeah my first house here, but I meant the house where I grew up, back in my world." You say with nostalgia. 

Lenore begins rummaging through her pantry and says, "Do you ever miss it, your life before you came here?" 

You think for a moment and take a seat before saying, "A little, it's kind of scary to think how much I've missed in my world. My family probably thinks I was kidnapped or something, but I don't regret what happened. As long as I can get Gwen back to normal and we find a way back, that's all that matters." 

"That's a good attitude to have. Stay positive, right? Do you have a plan?" Lenore says with a smile.

"Maybe, I think the little girl that was with us might be able to help." You respond. 

Lenore raises an eyebrow and says, "You mean the 'goddess'?" 

You let out a small laugh and say, "It's a really long story, but yeah, she might be able to help us get home." 

Lenore looks worried and says, "Are you sure you're not putting too much of a burden on that child?" 

You smile and raise a finger as purple electricity sparks around your fingertip. 

"She was able to give me my powers back, and she hasn't even regained all of her energy yet." You say as the energy around your finger wanes.

Lenore is surprised and says, "My word, I... is she really the goddess?" 

You nod and say, "I know she acts childish sometimes, but she lost her memory. I think once she starts to remember more, she'll be closer to what you imagine." 

Lenore shakes her head and says, "Well, enough about that, the food is ready." 

She serves a simple looking meal, but as you catch a whiff, you smile. 

"It smells great Lenore, I can't wait." You say excitedly.

Lenore softly laughs before saying, "Then let's eat." 

The food is wonderful and after eating, you sit back and say, "Wow, you could give C.C. a run for her money. You're a great cook." 

"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it." Lenore replies. 

You relax while Lenore cleans up and then sits across the table from you and says, "Can I ask you a question Mika?" You nod and Lenore continues, "Do you find me attractive?" 

You are caught off guard and then notice Lenore looks a bit flustered. 

"I, um... well yeah of course, I mean..." You stammer.

Lenore smiles and says, "We're all adults here Mika, if I'm not your type then that's just how things are." 

You look her in the eyes and say, "To be honest, I noticed you the very first time I saw you. Vivienne took me to the bar and you were there. There was a lot going on back then, so I haven't really thought about it, but I do think you're beautiful." 

Lenore smiles and says, "And I've had my eye on you for a while now but honestly, I thought you would have made a move sooner." 

You feel slightly embarrassed and say, "I guess I didn't want to seem like I was just fucking everything that moved." 

Lenore laughs and says, "Even so, if that's what you really wanted, why be ashamed? Be yourself and do what makes you happy, that's what I believe anyway. Who cares what anyone else thinks?" 

Lenore looks at you and you feel like she is undressing you with her eyes. 

"No regrets, huh? Yeah, you're right." You say with a smile. 

"So then, do you find me attractive?" Lenore says in a seductive voice. 

She leans an elbow on the table and her loose white tank top slides down her slender shoulder, revealing more of her sexy olive skin. You stand up and walk over to Lenore as you caress her cheek and lean in for a kiss. Lenore meets your lips and as you embrace her, you feel her heart is racing. You kiss her deeply until she finally pulls away and takes off your shirt. You unclasp your bra and let it fall to the floor as Lenore pulls off her shirt. 

Her breasts are about a B cup, and as they bounce free you feel your cock twitch. You become aware of a heavy aroma and as Lenore gets up, you see a large wet spot on her cushion and she leans over the table and pulls her skirt around her midsection. You understand her cue and move behind her where the smell hits you full force. It's powerful, but it's also enticing and as Lenore slowly waves her ass and waits for your cock, you get an idea. You take off your pants and begin running your fingers around the mare's dark pussy lips. 

Lenore squirms as you tease her and she looks back at you and says, "Come on honey, I can't wait anymore." 

You smile and then lean down and bury your face in her pussy. Lenore gasps and moans as her juices flow down your face and onto your breasts. 

"Oh! I didn't think you would, oh gods... ooohh, right there." Lenore moans as she pushes back into your face and you increase your efforts. 

Lenore grabs the edge of the table as you lick her large clit and slurp up her juices. Eventually Lenore gets impatient and lightly stomps her front legs, so you stand up and wipe your face before grabbing her hips and pressing the tip of your cock against her pussy. You must have teased her more than you thought because when she feels your cock, Lenore quickly backs up and you slide all the way in. You're nowhere near large enough to fill her, but her inner folds still grip your cock and you hope she feels as good as you do right now. Your hips loudly slap against Lenore's as she moans and you begin fucking her. 

Lenore looks back and says, "Oh that feels good." 

You feel embarrassed but say, "Are you sure you can even feel it?" 

Lenore gives a lustful smile and says, "You might not be the largest, but you're hitting the right spots. Don't worry, I'm enjoying this too." 

You want to kiss her but her anatomy prevents it, so you focus on her other hole instead. You lick two fingers and trace around Lenore's asshole before plunging them into her, making the centaur gasp and moan. You fuck her until you feel your orgasm approaching and you increase your pace, making Lenore moan even louder. You plunge into her wetness and grab onto her wide hips as you pump your cum into her with a long moan. You catch your breath as you caress her tail and when you finally pull out, Lenore steps aside and pats the table.

"Come here cutie." Lenore says with lust in her eyes.

You smile and sit on the edge of the table as Lenore moves between your legs and caresses your thighs. You lay back and Lenore begins licking your pussy as she slowly rubs your cock. Your hand moves to your breast and you rub your nipple as Lenore's tongue dances around your clit. Her soft hands stroke your cock and you close your eyes and let the feeling of pleasure wash over you. 

Lost in your own ecstasy, you don't realize Lenore has stopped licking your pussy until you feel the flared tip of her horse cock pressing against your entrance. You open your eyes and see Lenore has bent her front legs and placed them next to you on the table as she tries pushing the tip in again. You gasp as she slowly presses harder against your waiting pussy causing a slight pain but then the flared tip suddenly slips in.

"Ahh, it's in." You grunt. 

"Are you alright, am I hurting you?" Lenore asks when she sees your expression. 

You shake your head and lay back as you say, "No just... keep going." 

Lenore nods as she slowly slides in further and you try to hold back as the most intense pleasure you have ever felt crashes over you. Everything fades away except the huge cock filling you inch by inch. Eventually, Lenore can't go any deeper and your belly is slightly bulging from her massive equine cock. 

Lenore sees the look on your face and says, "Oh you're too cute Mika. That face of yours is going to make me cum before I've had any fun." 

You hear her but can't concentrate enough to form a response as she begins slowly fucking you. Her massive cock is reaching places you've never felt before and it feels incredible. She increases her pace and your breasts bounce as you moan loudly and another wave of pleasure washes over you. 

"Ohhh fuck... ah, ah, I'm gonna cum!" You yell just before your cock erupts. 

Warm cum spurts onto your stomach and splashes onto the underside of your breasts as Lenore continues pounding your pussy with her equine rod. As your cock twitches, a thick rope of cum flies over your breasts and hits your nose, flowing down your cheek and onto the table. Your pussy clenches around Lenore's cock during your orgasm and she humps even faster as your pussy squirts cum. 

She grabs her breasts and squeezes her nipples as she moans, "Oh Mika, I'm... aahhh!" 

You feel your pussy being completely flooded by Lenore's hot, thick cum and soon it lewdly spurts out around her cock. It takes a few blissful minutes for her to finish, but eventually Lenore slowly pulls out and more of her creamy cum pours out of your gaping pussy and drips onto the floor. You breathe heavily and your body occasionally twitches on its own. 'Holy shit, that was definitely the biggest cock I've ever taken!' You think to yourself as you notice Lenore is smiling. 

"You weren't half bad yourself, Ms. Champion." Lenore says with a soft laugh. 

You smile but remain silent as you bask in the afterglow of the most intense orgasm you've ever experienced. You hear Lenore leave the room and when she returns, she tosses a towel onto your stomach.

"You ok over there?" Lenore says with a smile.

You grab the towel and wipe your face before sitting up and cleaning your belly. 

"Yeah, that was just... really intense." You respond.

Lenore softly laughs as she says, "I'm glad. Honestly, Lilith can only last about fifteen minutes before she cums so hard she passes out. It's been frustrating for me so I'm glad you can at least give me some relief, if you don't mind that is." 

"You and Lilith have sex? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but she falls asleep?" You say while trying to imagine the centaur and the snakegirl having sex. 

"Yes, she's very sensitive. I thought she would get used to it after a while but even now, she cums two, maybe three times and then she's exhausted. The problem is she gets off so fast I can barely enjoy myself." Lenore says.

"Well, I wouldn't mind doing this again, but not for a while. I'm gonna need some sleep first." You reply. 

Lenore laughs and says, "Me too." 

You get off the table and cum continues to drip from your pussy as your feet touch the puddle that has accumulated on the floor. Lenore throws a few more towels on the floor to soak up the mess and you get dressed as Lenore makes tea. She comes back a few minutes later and hands you a glass and you take a sip. It reminds you of black tea, slightly sweeter than green tea and more flavorful. 

You chat with Lenore until you finish your drink and she says, "Well don't be a stranger, come by the shop more often." 

You smile and say, "Yeah, I'll bring Gwen too, she seems to really like Lilith. I'll see you later then Lenore." 

Lenore says goodbye and waves as you exit her home and begin walking to the cafe to get Gwen. Along the way you pass by the market stalls as they close up shop for the day and you see Kira looking around. 

You call her name and she flies over and says, "Hey Mika, have you seen C.C.?" 

You shake your head and say, "No, I was at Lenore's house, what's wrong?" 

Kira shakes her head and says, "I don't know, she saw some guy at the market and she told me to wait for her, but that was hours ago." 

You nod and say, "Alright, let's get Gwen and then we can start looking for her." 

Kira follows you to the cafe and after thanking Lilith, you take Gwen's hand and lead her outside. 

"So she saw this guy at the market?" You ask.

"Yeah he was a lizard and it seemed like they knew each other." Kira responds. 

You head back to the market but when you arrive, you see C.C. sitting on a stall, idly kicking her feet. 

"Hey, sorry I took so long." C.C. says as she hops down.

"Is everything alright?" You reply. 

C.C. nods but Kira says, "Where were you? I was waiting for almost two hours." 

C.C. smiles and says, "I didn't mean to leave you by yourself like that, but I have a little surprise for you Mika." 

"For me? What is it?" You ask.

C.C. laughs and says, "Wouldn't be much of a surprise if I just told you. You'll find out when it's ready." 

You agree and Kira suddenly says, "Oh yeah, I forgot! I saw Priscilla when I was looking for C.C. and she said she wanted to talk to you Mika." 

You sigh and say, "Alright I'll head over there, can you take Gwen home?" 

"Aww come on, I wanna know what happened with Mara." Kira complains.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter I guess. Let's go see what she found out." You reply. 

You walk to Priscilla's home and knock on the door and a few moments later Priscilla opens the door.

"Oh good you're here. Come in, Mara's in the back." Priscilla says ushering you all inside.

You make your way to the back room and see Mara sitting on a table near a computer. 

She smiles when she sees you and says, "Hi Mika, where were you?" 

"At a friend's house. How were the tests?" You ask.

"She just scanned me again, but we were talking while we waited for you and I remembered more." Mara responds. 

You ask what she remembered, but before she can respond Priscilla says, "Mika, could I have you step into the scanner? I'm sorry, but that's why we've been waiting all this time." 

You nod and walk over to the scanning machine as you say, "Yeah, sorry about that, I thought you just wanted to scan Mara." 

You step inside and Priscilla taps a few keys as the machine begins to light up. Kira and the others look excited as the machine whirs to life and begins scanning you. 

After a minute the lights turn off and Priscilla says, "Alright, you can come out now." Everyone crowds around the monitor as Priscilla says, "As I feared, your circuits resemble Mara's and your frequency is also very similar." 

You shrug and say, "Why is that bad, I thought we already knew that?" 

Priscilla stands up and says, "I'll let Mara explain it in her own words." 

You look to Mara and she says, "Part of my memory returned, but it wasn't like last time. Priscilla and I were talking about frequencies and circuits and it started coming back slowly the more she said. I remembered more about how magic really works and even some things about divine energy." 

You nod and say, "Ok that's good, right?" 

Mara shakes her head and says, "You don't understand, if your energy turns into divine energy, it would mean you are linked to this world, that's just how it works. If I was to go to your world, I would be alright for a few days, in my normal body at least, but after that I would start to disappear. I wouldn't be able to use my powers either. I'm not sure how long it would take, but once I'm gone that's it." 

You are confused and say, "Disappear to where? Back here?" 

"No, I would disappear from existence." Mara says coldly. 

"You'd die?" You ask in disbelief.

"Death in this world means you can be reborn, but this is different. I would be gone forever, not alive or dead just... erased. The same thing will happen to you if your energy becomes divine and you try to go back to your world. I can try to absorb some of my power back, but my control hasn't improved much since the last time." Mara responds. 

You think for a moment before saying, "It hasn't happened yet, has it?" 

"No, but the more you use my power, the closer you get." Mara explains and you sigh in relief. 

"You're not concerned?" Priscilla asks.

"Well yeah, but I thought you guys were going to tell me I was dying or something. I just have to be careful and wait for Mara's memory to return." You respond.

Mara looks concerned and says, "Mika this is serious, you already saw how dangerous it is and..." 

Priscilla places her hand on Mara's shoulder and says, "She knows the risks now, but it's her decision. I'm sure she wants to go home more than we can imagine, let's leave it at that." 

Mara looks down and you say, "I get what you're trying to say and I appreciate it, but if I have to use my power to protect Gwen, then I will. Whatever happens, I'll accept the consequences." 

There is a moment of silence and then the telltale sound of a magicore engine suddenly roars above the city before cutting out. 

"That's odd, normally ships don't risk getting this close to the city using a magicore." Priscilla remarks.

You head outside to see a heavily damaged airship docking at the port. 

"Is it on fire?" Kira asks.

"That's definitely smoke coming from the engines, should we check it out?" You reply. 

Priscilla nods and you turn to Kira and say, "Can you and C.C. find Astrid?" 

Kira nods and C.C. says, "Ok, we'll meet you at the docks." 

You lead Mara, Gwen, and Priscilla to the docks and after arriving at the top floor, you see injured crewmen being helped off the ship by the few guards on duty as two of Valen's mages douse the flames with water magic. You and Priscilla help bring the crew to Mara who heals their injuries.

"What happened to your ship?" You ask one of the men.

The man looks around confused but after realizing they made it to Valen, he calms down and says, "Someone is attacking Cyldell. We have to go back, they might still be in trouble." 

"Wait, it's only one person?" You ask glancing back at the damaged airship.

He nods and says, "Yeah, he started attacking the wall and killed everyone who came out. Nothing we tried could even hurt that monster."

"Who is it?" You ask.

The man shakes his head and says, "I don't know, but I have to get back there. I only left to get help."

"Your ship is in no condition to fly and if you can't fight someone powerful enough to attack a city by themselves, please leave it to those of us who can." Priscilla says.

The man thinks before saying, "Y-you're right, damn it... but you can right? You have to help them!" 

"We will, just worry about your friends for now." You reply. 

The man calms down and thanks you before heading back to his ship. Astrid, C.C. and Kira arrive a few minutes later and you explain the situation. 

"So we're going to Cyldell right now?" C.C. asks.

"Well, as soon as the first relief ship leaves." You reply. 

C.C. nods and says, "Ok I'll be right back, don't leave without me!" 

C.C. quickly flies off the edge of the platform back down to the city as you head to the small office nearby. 

There is a lone guard inside and you ask, "Excuse me, but when is the first relief ship taking off?" 

The man looks up and says, "Ah, the Champion, we're organizing the crew now but luckily we have a ship fueled up and ready to go. Everything should be ready in about ten minutes, you going too Ms. Champion?" 

You nod and say, "Yeah, if there's any way I can help, I have to try." 

Leaving Gwen with your friends at the platform, you race back home and grab your gear as well as Gwen's leather armor before running back to the docks. You return to the platform and anxiously wait until it's time to leave and then board the airship.


	8. The Valkyria

The last crewman boards and the ramp is retracted as you say, "Kira, can you ask the captain to wait for..." 

"Heeey! Wait for me!" C.C. says as she races to the airship.

She makes it onboard as the ship slowly rises and sits on the deck breathing heavily.

"Where did you go?" You ask. 

C.C. smiles and says, "Your surprise is almost ready, so I told them to bring it to Cyldell. If only we could wait a little while, but I know we need to get there as soon as possible." 

"What? You know it's going to be dangerous there, right?" You ask.

C.C. giggles and says, "Yeah it's ok, don't worry." 

You sigh and lead the way inside the ship and find your way to the lounge. 

"So any idea who could be attacking Cyldell?" You ask as you sit on the couch.

"A demon would be the most likely suspect, but if it's strong enough to attack Cyldell by itself, I doubt this would be our first encounter with it. I can't recall any demons this powerful, save for Astrid. Without more information, we can only speculate." Priscilla says. 

The ship rumbles and the roar of magicore engines echo through the room until the noise fades away as the ship accelerates. 

Priscilla looks around and says, "This ship obviously wasn't designed for magicore technology, but at least it will cut the trip to just over four hours." 

You look down and say, "I hope they can hold out for that long." 

C.C. pats you on the back and says, "We don't know how bad it really is. For all we know, by the time we get there the mages in Cydlell might have beaten him already." 

You nod and agree, but you can also sense something ominous and you're heading straight for the source. You can't quite define the feeling, but it's like something massive is overpowering your senses, even from this far away. Your fingers tremble and you clench your fist before sitting back and trying to relax. Mara and Kira chat on the floor as Priscilla and Astrid sit at the bar. 

Gwen lays her head in your lap and yawns as you run your fingers through her hair. As time passes, the foreboding feeling only intensifies and when you notice Mara also seems worried, it only feeds into your own doubts. Whatever is giving off this malevolent energy, it is much more powerful than Iliya was and that has you worried. 

You nearly jump out of your skin when C.C. puts her hands on your shoulders and says, "Geez, why are you so jumpy?" 

You shake your head and say, "I'm ok, what's up?" 

C.C. gives you an unconvinced look and says, "You're a terrible liar, you know that? Anyways, I wanted to show you something. Come with me." 

You carefully get up without waking Gwen and follow C.C. into one of the rooms in the hall. 

She closes the door behind you and says, "Ok you ready?" 

"For what?" You ask in confusion and C.C. smiles before removing her clothes and crouching down. 

"You're way too tense, you need to relax." C.C. says seductively before opening her mouth and staring at you longingly. 

"C.C., I..." You begin.

She cuts you off and says, "I can feel that too you know, probably not as well as you, but even this far away... it's so strong. Do you really think you can control your powers and protect Gwen if your this tense? Just relax, we have time to kill, so just let it happen." 

You sigh and you know she's right, but as you contemplate your decision, C.C. gets tired of waiting.

She stands up and says, "I could use my magic you know, but it will be better if you just relax." 

"I know but, I'm alright. I think I just need to prepare myself mentally, you know?" You say convincingly. 

C.C. looks disappointed and says, "Are you sure?" 

You smile and say, "Yeah actually, I was with a friend right before all this happened, so I'm already pretty 'relaxed'." 

C.C. gives a wide grin and says, "Oh I see, well next time it's my turn, ok?" 

You laugh and nod as C.C. winks and leaves the room. You lay back on the bed and sigh heavily. You know worrying about it now won't help, but you can feel the corruption growing stronger the closer you get. Gwen enters the room and you smile as she climbs into bed next to you and gets comfortable. You decide to try and get some sleep while you can, so you close your eyes and wrap your arm around Gwen. A short while later you fall asleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by the captain's voice over the intercom.

"We'll be arriving in five minutes, we don't know what the situation is, so everyone be prepared for the worst." The captain says.

You and Gwen meet the others in the lounge and then head up to the bridge. 

The doors open and the captain looks back and says, "You girls ready? From what I heard, it sounds pretty dangerous." 

Astrid scoffs and says, "Whoever it is, they'll be dead before long." 

The captain turns back around and you hear him say under his breath, "Glad you're on our side." 

The ship's magicore engines cut out and the city of Cyldell is just ahead. You walk out onto the deck and look over the edge as the ship descends and you catch a glimpse of someone fighting outside the city. You impatiently wait for the ship to dock and make your way down to street level before heading outside. You pass by a few dead mages as you exit the gates before you see the attacker standing still in the moonlight. 

"Are you the next?" He says in a masculine voice.

"Who are you?" You reply. 

The man turns his head to look at you and you see that he is wearing a golden mask. The metallic face is slightly obscured by his long, tattered black cloak, but it looks like the mask is scowling. 

"I am the fourth." The man says before sending black electricity arcing towards you. 

You grab Gwen and dive to the ground as the others dodge, but Astrid charges toward the man. You look up and see the man is holding his arms out to the side as Astrid quickly closes in. He makes no attempt to dodge as Astrid's claws dig into his neck and she tears out his throat. Astrid viciously kicks the man and he flies into the city wall, cracking the old stones. 

Astrid turns away and begins walking toward you when you hear someone clapping. Astrid stops and looks at the man as he laughs and gets up. The wound on his neck is hard to see under his pitch black cloak, but as he rises, you notice his flesh is somehow darker than his cloak. 

He seems unaffected by his wound and Astrid says, "Oh good, I thought you were done already." 

He laughs and says, "You're stronger than the others, but it doesn't matter. You can not kill me." 

Astrid charges toward him once again as the man calmly dusts himself off. You see Astrid's claws lengthen and she begins wildly slashing the man as his flesh is shredded but he still remains motionless. As Astrid continues her assault, she cleaves an arm off, but it hits the ground and instantly turns to black slime. Dark black smoke envelops the man before quickly dispersing and you notice his wounds are completely healed. 

Astrid backs away as she breathes heavily and Priscilla steps forward and says, "You said you were the fourth, correct? What does that mean?" 

The eerie golden mask prevents you from seeing his expression as he says, "You won't live long enough to find out." 

The man quickly raises his hand and blasts Priscilla with fire magic sending her tumbling across the ground. C.C. glides up and sends a wave of black fire streaking toward the man before he can react, engulfing him in the dark purplish flames. His flesh melts quickly and one of his arms falls off before he collapses into a burning heap. The moist ground around the swamps help extinguish the flames after a few minutes. The moment the flames are gone, the severed arm begins festering and is quickly enveloped in a thick black smoke. 

C.C. readies her magic again and Kira joins her in the air, but the man bursts through the smoke fully intact and charges towards them. The girls cast their magic but the man suddenly moves much faster than before, and he zig zags around the sky before his fist crashes into C.C.'s stomach. The powerful blow takes her breath away and C.C. is sent flying into Kira. She impacts the small fairy and they both fall to the ground. You look to Mara and notice she looks very frightened.

"Mara! I have to help them, please protect Gwen." You yell.

Mara takes her eyes off the man and nods as she takes Gwen's hand and you rush to join the fight. You help Priscilla up and the two of you join Astrid as the man laughs.

"Yes that's it, all at once now. Let's make this interesting before I kill you all." He says. 

You rush in with Priscilla and Astrid by your side and your sword sinks into the man's chest. Priscilla stabs both of her knives into his head before Astrid digs her claws into his flesh and hurls him away from the city. He hits the ground with a heavy thud and immediately rises to his feet. You raise your hands and electricity crackles around them before shooting into the man's chest. 

He falls to his knees but raises his head and you feel his piercing gaze even under his mask as you carefully release more energy. Incredibly, even under the barrage of lightning the man gets to his feet and when his body bursts into flames, he begins laughing maniacally. You can see this isn't working so you cut the flow of energy but just before it dissipates, the magic swirls in your palms before exploding. 

You are thrown back into Priscilla and she says, "Are you alright?" 

Your hands hurt like hell but you nod, knowing the fight isn't over yet. You hear C.C. call your name and turn around to see Mara is healing her and Kira. 

C.C. winces in pain and says, "Get him away from the city." 

You nod and say, "I know, we're trying." 

C.C. shakes her head and points up while saying, "Look, we can use that." 

You follow her gaze and see an airship with two large cannons slowly approaching from high above. 

You think for a moment before saying, "Alright, can you get up there and tell them to shoot?" 

C.C. nods and says, "Yeah, I think so." 

She gets up and glides into the air towards the ship as the man gets to his feet and the black smoke around him dissipates. 

Priscilla takes a step back and says, "Those look fairly powerful, we might get caught up in the blast if we're not careful." 

You look to her and ask, "You have anything in mind?" 

Priscilla nods and says, "I might, but I need a few minutes." 

You nod as Priscilla turns and runs back towards Mara while you and Astrid try to push the man further back. Astrid is breathing heavily and you know she must be nearing her limits as you look to your own charred hands and realize you can't even hold your sword anymore. The man charges in and a pitch black hand tipped with claws shoots out from under his cloak and grabs Astrid by the neck. He lifts her into the air as she struggles and you race to help her. 

You charge energy into both your hands and as they make contact with his torso, it explodes and he releases Astrid as everyone is thrown from the center of the blast. Astrid slowly gets up and makes her way to you as black smoke pours from the man's wounds. Your hands are bleeding badly and the burns have extended to your forearms and you grunt as Astrid helps you up. 

From behind you, you hear Priscilla's voice yelling, "Get back!" 

You look up and see the airship's cannons are charged and begin running towards Priscilla as her eyes glow and she raises her arms. She creates a small dome of energy around everyone and then looks to Mara.

"Alright Mara, do it now!" Priscilla yells.

Mara nods and places her hands on Priscilla's back and her barrier turns from a pale green color to a bright white. Suddenly the cannons fire and a thin beam of energy shoots into the black smoke. The ground around the man explodes and a massive tremor shakes the land, but inside the barrier it remains calm. 

Hellish fire erupts from the blast area and Astrid says, "Who the hell is that, Farah?" 

Priscilla lowers her barrier and drops to her knees as she tries to catch her breath. You and Astrid carefully approach the blast site and see that it has tunneled into the ground. 

There is too much smoke to see if he's alive down there and Astrid says, "What do you think?" 

You stare into the smoldering hole in the ground and say, "Maybe we should rest in town." 

Astrid shakes her head and says, "What? He might still be alive, why would we run?" 

You look back and say, "We can't keep going like this, I know you don't have much energy left either. Everyone else is exhausted too, but if he comes after us again, at least we can get Gwen and Kira somewhere safe." 

Astrid scoffs and says, "Fine, but I'm going to stay by the gates. If he comes back, I won't let him into the city." 

You nod and say, "We'll be back as soon as we can." 

You reach the gates and leave Astrid behind as you head into the city. The streets are lit but no one is outside and after getting no response from a few homes, you come to a stop in the center of the marketplace. 

Priscilla thinks for a moment before saying, "They've most likely fled deeper into the city, I think we should..." 

She is interrupted by a familiar voice saying, "Hey! Over here, hurry!" 

You look over and see Alexandria, the owner of the brothel in Cyldell, and a thin, green skinned girl with short light purple hair standing in an alley. 

As you quickly make your way to the alley, you hear C.C. saying, "Mika, did we get him?" 

You look back and see C.C. descending into the city and say, "I don't know, but we need to get Gwen and Kira somewhere safe." 

Alex extends her hand and says, "Leave them with me, we were looking for anyone who hasn't evacuated yet. There's a shelter they can stay in with the rest of the people." 

You nod and motion for Gwen to follow her, but Alex sees your arms and says, "Gods, did that man do this? Rahn, hurry up and heal her." 

The other girl nods and walks over to you before placing her hands on your arm. Up close, you can see she is a plant girl and her soft yellow eyes glow as a green light appears around the two of you. 

The pain fades away after a few minutes and Alex says, "I brought Rahn with me because she has a unique gift for healing magic. We've saved a few people already but thankfully, these are the worst injuries we've seen inside the city." 

"That's a relief, but Astrid is still out by the gates, she needs to be healed too." You say.

"Alright, but she can only do one at a time so stay still." Alex replies. 

"Hey Alex, how've you been?" C.C. says casually. 

Alex looks to her and says, "Oh my, I'm sorry, I didn't see you with everything else going on. I'm great, despite the situation, and you?" 

C.C. smiles and says, "That plantgirl is really something, huh?" 

Alex looks back to Rahn and says, "She really is, so cute and her powers are just perfect for our business." 

About ten minutes later, the glow around you fades and Rahn says, "Alright, I'm done. Should we go now then?" 

You look to Alex and she says, "Don't worry, I'll keep them safe. Come find us after you kill that bastard, the shelter is under the tower." 

She points out a tower along the city wall and you nod and say, "Alright, thank you." 

You leave Gwen and the injured Kira with Alex and rush back to Astrid. Priscilla and C.C. follow you back to the gates with Mara and Rahn close behind. As you approach, Astrid puts her finger to her lip and motions for you to quietly advance. You sneak closer and peek around the gates to see the man looking into the hole in the ground. 

He stands motionless above the smoke filled tunnel as you whisper, "What's he doing?" 

Astrid slowly shakes her head and says, "That's someone else, he showed up a few minutes ago and just started staring into the smoke." 

You look closely and as his black cloak blows in the wind, his hood falls back and reveals another golden mask, but this one has a lifeless, apathetic expression unlike the other man. Without his hood, you also notice he has small horns on his head as dark as his flesh. The man suddenly drops down into the hole and a few moments later, the festering remains of your foe are thrown into the open. The man emerges from the hole in the ground and grabs the gory mess and your eyes widen as you watch his mask distort and his jaws open wide. He shoves the pitch black flesh into his gaping mouth and swallows it whole. 

"What the fuck?" Astrid says under her breath.

The man stands and his mask reverts back to normal as he raises his hand and a portal opens in front of him. 

"We have to stop him, we don't know anything about what's happening and it's obviously not over." Priscilla says quietly. 

You leave Rahn by the gates and rush out to confront the new threat. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Astrid says and the man stops and looks back at you. 

In a cold, distant voice the man replies, "He is already among us, enjoy your last moments." 

You don't understand what he's talking about and you say, "What are you doing here? Who are you?" 

The man calmly walks through the portal while saying, "I am Second." 

The portal quickly closes behind him and you are left in confusion as you try to make sense of what just happened. 

"Mika, he's gone. Wherever he went, I can't feel his energy anymore." Mara says.

"I can't feel it either." You reply. You think for a moment before saying, "Alright, let's get back to town and ask around. Maybe someone knows something, there has to be a reason he was attacking Cyldell." 

Your group agrees and heads back through the city until you arrive at the tower. There is a small door at the base of the wall and Priscilla leads you inside.

Priscilla looks around and says, "If I remember correctly, it should be... here." 

Her hand pushes in a stone along the wall and she gives it a small amount of energy. The tiles on the floor begin glowing as they move aside to reveal a hidden passageway filled with people. 

"Wow that's amazing." You say as you spot Gwen and Alex in the crowd below. 

Priscilla smiles and says, "Yes, I had nearly forgotten about these tunnels until Alex mentioned them. I'm just glad I remembered where the trigger was." 

Alex makes her way out of the tunnel and says, "Is it over now?" 

You nod and say, "Yeah, for now at least. So does anyone know why he attacked Cyldell?" 

Alex shakes her head and says, "No, he never came into the city. He killed a guard near the gates first and then, he just killed whoever came out to stop him."

You help the citizens out of the shelter as you try to think of what would draw that man here in the first place.

The rest of the people exit the tunnel and after the crowd disperses, C.C. says, "So... how did you like your surprise?" 

She gives you a wide grin and you reply, "What are you... you mean the airship?" 

C.C. nods and says, "Yeah, pretty cool huh?" 

You are confused and say, "I don't understand, why would you buy me an airship?" 

"Well you travel all over the place, this will be way more convenient don't you think?" C.C. replies and you wonder how much she spent on you this time. 

You sigh and say, "I appreciate it C.C., but after we figure out what's going on with these guys, I want you to have it. Please, you already paid for my house and I don't want another huge gift." 

C.C. smiles and says, "You're really too polite, but if that's what you want then ok. Let's go check it out!" 

You thank Alex and Rahn before following C.C. to the docks and taking the elevator to the top. 

C.C. taps you on the shoulder and says, "So how do you know Alex?" 

"She was the one that helped me contact you after we got separated in Ardent City. Do you know her too?" 

You reply and C.C. laughs and says, "Well yeah, I own the brothel here and in Valen too. She manages this one for me and I have someone else in Valen, I can't be everywhere at once." 

It's only surprising because you didn't figure it out sooner and you laugh as the lift reaches the top and C.C. leads you to the ship docked at the far end. The airship is smaller than any of Farah's ships, but the cannons that run the length of the hull certainly remind you of them. The ramp extends and a few crewmen stand at attention as you board. 

One of the men says, "Mistress C.C. please let me show you to the bridge." 

C.C. allows the man to kiss her hand before she follows him to the bridge. 

You enter and a lizard man gets out of the captain's chair and says, "Welcome aboard, my name is Sid Desvic. I'm the captain of The Valkyria." 

Sid is slightly shorter than you, but his biology makes it hard for you to tell his age as he extends a scaly hand. 

You shake his hand and say, "I'm Mika and..." 

Sid laughs and says, "Yes, yes, we know all about you and your friends. We didn't get the chance to fight with you before, but we've followed your exploits since we first heard there was someone opposing Iliya." Sid holds a button on the arm of his chair and says, "Lieutenant, report to the bridge immediately." 

He smiles and a few moments later, a tall blonde puppygirl rushes through the doors and stands at attention. Her light blue uniform matches the captain's and her dark brown eyes compliment her pale skin. 

"Captain! I... Oh gods is that the champion!?" The girl grabs your hand and begins shaking it while saying, "I don't even know what to say, it's such an honor to meet you. Hey do..." 

Sid pulls her away by her ear and says, "That's enough, don't act like that. It makes us all look bad." 

The girl's face turns red and she looks down and says, "Of course, sir. I'm sorry I got carried away." 

Sid look to you and says, "This is my Lieutenent, Ulyena Oberan. She's a handful, but she's also a great engineer." 

Ulyena salutes you and says, "Please forgive me, I didn't mean to fawn over you like that ma'am." 

You smile and say, "It's ok, and you can just call me Mika. It's nice to meet you... Ulyana?" 

The puppygirl laughs and says, "Ul-ye-na, but if it's too hard you can just call me Yen." 

You laugh and say, "Sorry, it sounds pretty though, I like it." 

Ulyena blushes and meekly thanks you before Sid says, "Alright, we can talk while we fly, but I need to know where you're going. The Valkyria is yours now, so where are we headed?" 

You don't have a clue where the mysterious man in black went and as you think Priscilla says, "Perhaps we should visit Hakon, he might know something about these men." 

"Yeah that's a good idea. Sid, can you take us to High Rock mountain?" You ask.

"Yeah, but there better be a decent landing site up there. Otherwise we'll have to drop you off and stay airborne." Sid replies. 

You think for a moment and say, "I hope Hakon doesn't get upset by the noise of our ship." 

Priscilla laughs and says, "Sounds like him alright. I'm sure Mara will remember something as well, they used to be acquainted after all." 

You nod and say, "Yeah that's right. Maybe he can help me too, I'd really like to stop blowing myself up." 

After a good laugh, Ulyena shows you around the ship. If Gwen and Mara stay with you there are enough rooms for everyone and although the lounge is small, your friends can gather there without being crowded. Around ten crewmen staff the ship and their quarters are on the bottom deck, which is a converted cargo hold. The ship sacrificed cargo space for these rooms but based on the speed at which they arrived in Cyldell, they must be equipped with magicore engines. 

You thank Ulyena for showing you around and she says, "No problem, if you need anything else please just ask one of us. We're all so proud to be working for you ma'am, uh, I mean Mika." 

You smile and say, "Thank you, I appreciate it. Can you let me know when we're close?" 

Ulyena nods and says, "Of course, I have to get back now but I hope we can talk later." 

She happily jogs down the corridor and you head back to the lounge where you see that C.C. is hard at work preparing a meal.


	9. Remnants

After eating, you rest for a while in your new room until C.C. enters and says, "Hey, we're almost to High Rock. Wanna come up to the bridge with us?" 

You agree and follow her up to the bridge where Sid is talking to Priscilla.

Sid looks over his shoulder and says, "Oh hey Mika. So Priscilla, is Hakon really a god? I remember he fought with you guys, but he wasn't seen much before or after Iliya was killed." 

You smile and say, "Yeah, that's just how he is. He told me he was a demi god, so I don't think he's the same as Mara." 

You remember too late about keeping Mara's identity a secret and Sid asks, "Wait, you don't mean her do you?" 

You sigh and say, "Sort of, it's a long story. It might take a while to track these guys down, so I guess I should just tell you." You usher Mara in front of you and say, "This is the goddess Mara. She lost her powers, but we're helping her regain them. Hopefully she'll be back to normal soon." 

Sid and Ulyena stand speechless as they try to process your words. 

"I'm not used to taking people's word, but I'll make an exception in this case." Sid says after a long moment of silence.

Ulyena kneels down and looks at Mara while saying, "Oh wow, I uh, I'm so glad I could meet you." 

Mara shakes the puppygirl's hand and says, "The pleasure is mine, you are all very nice people and I thank you for helping me." 

Sid laughs and says, "Please, don't make us sound so noble, we were all paid a year's salary upfront. We'll dive straight into hell if that's what you order us to do, haha! Well, looks like we're here. Let me find a good spot to set her down." 

Sid expertly pilots the ship and lands on the mountain top, but as you disembark you are confused by what you see. Hakon's home has been completely destroyed and broken pieces of it lie half buried in the snow. Near where his house once stood, there is a large formation of ice. From the shape of it, it looks like it was the result of very powerful ice magic, the same kind Hakon was known for. As you approach the remains of the house, you notice bloodstains on the exposed stone and wood. 

"What the hell happened here?" You ask.

Priscilla seems concerned as she says, "Wait, what is that?" 

You follow her gaze and see something against a splintered column nearby. Suddenly it moves and as the snow falls away you see it's Ariadne, one of the dragongirls that worshiped Hakon. She coughs up blood and you rush over and brush off the snow covering her and see she is badly injured. 

"Mara, can you heal her?" You ask and Mara runs over and holds her hands out toward Ariadne. 

"Leave it to me." Mara says and after a few moments, Ariadne opens her eyes.

"What... where am I?" Ariadne says. 

You give her a minute to collect herself and after she is healed you ask, "What happened here? Where is Hakon?" 

Ariadne looks hopeless as she says, "That man... killed him, and we were powerless to stop him." 

You've never seen the proud and fierce Ariadne act like this, and you realize her bond with Hakon might have been deeper than you knew. 

Kira looks sad and says, "What about the other dragongirls?" 

"He destroyed our nests around the mountain and then killed Hakon. I tried to stop him but he got me too, I thought I was dead." 

You are in disbelief and say, "No, Hakon couldn't have been killed. Who did this?" 

Ariadne shakes her head and says, "The man with the golden face. He didn't say who he was, he just showed up and started killing everyone." 

You clench your fist and say, "Damn it, what the hell are they doing? It doesn't make sense, they attack Cyldell and then travel all the way here and kill Hakon?" 

Priscilla sighs and says, "We're tracking down the man who did this to you, do you know where he went?" 

Ariadne shakes her head and says, "No, the last thing I remember is that man... eating Lord Hakon." 

Priscilla puts her hand on Ariadne's shoulder and says, "Do you have somewhere to go? You can stay with..."

Ariadne suddenly stands up and says, "No, please... just leave."

You look to Ariadne as she walks away and say, "I'm sorry we weren't here when he needed us, but I promise, we will avenge him." 

Ariadne glances back towards you but says nothing before she takes off into the air and flies away. You sit in the snow for a few minutes and wonder how many of these men there are, and how powerful they must be to kill Hakon so easily. You get up and survey the area, hoping for any trace of where the man in black went. The constant snowfall has covered the wreckage of Hakon's home and you walk around back and look into the distance. 

The last time you were here, you came by foot and the clouds prevented you from seeing beyond the mountain. This time however, the airship cleared away the clouds as it landed and you gaze into the frozen landscape to the north. The mountains surround a vast, almost circular area about a hundred feet below. 

"What's down there?" You ask.

Priscilla walks to the edge of the cliff and says, "Nothing as far as I'm aware, although I've never seen it this clearly before. The shape of it seems highly unnatural, do you think it's worth a look?"

You shrug and say, "We have nothing else to go on right now, I guess it couldn't hurt."

You board the Valkyria and ask Sid to fly down into the crater. He is hesitant but quickly agrees when Astrid says he's wasting her time. The ship lifts off and slowly begins it's descent as the snow continues its unending rain. A few minutes later, the Valkyria touches down and you make your way out into the snow. 

Your armor makes you sink into the deep snow and you trudge your way further. C.C. is already shivering in her skimpy attire, but Priscilla seems to be having the hardest time with the cold temperatures. Although she doesn't complain, Priscilla has her arms folded over her breasts and walks at a brisk pace, probably trying to keep herself warm. 

As you press on, you come to a snow covered hill and climb to the top. The snowfall is relentless and as you scour the icy landscape, you take a step and quickly sink into the snow. You are buried up to your ribs and as you try to climb out, you sink deeper. 

Suddenly, the snow beneath you gives way and you kick your feet around but can't feel anything below. You feel more of the snow around you shifting as Priscilla and Astrid try to pull you out. They each grab an arm, but they too begin sinking as they try to free you. Priscilla loses her footing and falls into the growing hole, now hanging as she holds onto you. Astrid is pulled off balance and she falls head first into the hole after you and Priscilla. Under the snow, there is a large room and you land hard on the cold, stone floor.

"Hey are you alright?" C.C. yells from above.

"Yeah, I think so." You reply.

"What's down there?" Kira asks trying to peer into the darkness.

"Come see for yourself." You say as you look around.

C.C. grabs Mara and gently floats down with Kira close behind. It's hard to see with only a small amount of light shining through the hole in the ceiling, but Kira quickly lights up the room with her magic. Large shelves filled with books line the walls and form rows throughout the room. Most of the shelves are broken and knocked down, but this room reminds you of a library, although some of the walls are missing with densely packed snow replacing them.

"Remarkable, I had no idea something like this was buried under all this snow." Priscilla says as she carefully takes a book from one of the shelves.

"So, there was a city or something way out here?" You think aloud.

"How strange, these books appear to be written in a different language." Priscilla says as she returns the book to the shelf.

You grab a book from a nearby shelf and open it. It's still a little difficult for you to read things in this world, but Priscilla is right, these letters are completely different and you can't make sense of them. You set the book down and continue exploring until you hear Mara say something under her breath. Mara seems to be reading one of the books and puts her hand to her mouth as she pours over the information. Her expression is a mixture of horror and sadness.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

Mara looks to you with tears in her eyes and says, "This was part of Rydell."

"Rydell? Hmm, it doesn't sound familiar. Do you remember anything about this place Mara?" Priscilla asks.

Mara slowly nods while reading from another book and she says, "This is where the last humans held out against the monsters."

Priscilla looks surprised and says, "What? When was this?"

Mara closes the book and says, "Before most of the city was taken to another world, and before Alissi was invaded... I mean Cyldell."

"Cyldell has never been invaded. Are you sure you mean Cyldell?" Priscilla says even more confused than before.

Mara holds her head and blood drips from her nose before she says, "I think so, I remember the ocean." 

You wipe the blood away from her nose and say, "It's alright. That guy isn't here, so maybe we should get going." 

"Ok, stand back." C.C. says as she floats off the ground.

C.C. gathers a small amount of black fire in her hand and throws it toward the ceiling. The potent magic quickly burns through the ancient structure and the snow falling from above douses the flames. The opening is much larger now and it will be easy to escape. Priscilla puts Mara on her back and jumps back up to the surface and you carefully channel energy into your legs and follow her. Once everyone is out, you lead the way back to the Valkyria and head up to the bridge.

"Sid, can you take us to Valen City." You ask. 

He nods and says, "Sure, did you find anything?"

You shake your head and say, "Nothing that will help us find that man."

You head back to your room as the ship takes off and sit for a few minutes before thinking, 'What the hell is happening?' You try to push the negative thoughts out of your mind as the ship races through the skies. You sigh and wonder what you should do next when Priscilla opens the door with a worried look on her face.

"You should come and see this." Priscilla says and you follow her out onto the deck.

As Valen City approaches, you can see a plume of smoke rising into the air from far beyond the city walls. 

"It that coming from the wasteland?" You ask.

"It appears so, and I would suspect the men we're after are there as well." Priscilla replies.

You make your way to the bridge and approach Captain Sid.

"Something is happening to the south, we need to check it out." You say.

Sid looks out the window towards the smoke and says, "Alright, but I'm gonna bring her down before we get close, don't wanna end up like that ship from Cyldell." 

You nod and say, "That's fine, just let us off and then stay back and keep everyone safe." You pause and then say, "I think I'm going to leave Gwen behind, it's just too dangerous for her. I need you to protect her for me, please she's... very important to me."

Sid puts his hand on your shoulder and says, "Say no more, everyone on this ship would lay down their lives before letting any harm come to her. She'll be safe with us, I give you my word."

You smile and say, "Thanks."

Sid nods and then reaches around the side of his seat and hands you a small silver coin. 

"That's a beacon, just press right here in the center, and it'll send a signal to the bridge. Use it when you're all done and we'll come scoop you up." Sid says with a smile. 

You put the coin in your pocket and thank Sid before returning to the deck as the ship passes over Valen City. At this speed, it doesn't take long before you cross into the wasteland. The plume of smoke grows larger and the ship descends until it is about twenty feet from the ground. The Valkyria slows and comes to a stop as your group heads outside. 

You quickly rush toward the smoke as the ship lifts into the air behind you. 'At least Gwen won't be in danger this time, but I still need to keep myself focused.' You think as you approach the source of the smoke. 

"Look it's him!" Kira says as she points out someone wearing a black cloak.

The man calmly walks as several demons attack him, but they are killed without him lifting a finger. Their magic seems to reflect off of him and retarget the caster, as the man continues his slow advance and the demons fall dead around him.

"This isn't the one we saw before. Damn it, how many of them are there?" Astrid says angrily.

"He appears to be able to reflect magical energy, which might make this difficult for us." Priscilla adds.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing. I don't care if they're demons, I'm not going to watch them get slaughtered like this." You say as you take off toward the man.

Your friends are close behind and soon the man notices you and stops before turning to face you. His mask is different than the others, a calm, almost serene expression sculpted into the golden metal. 

"What number are you supposed to be, and what the hell does it even mean?" Astrid asks as she steps forward.

He takes his time and looks over your group, seemingly ignoring Astrid. His inspection ends when he notices Mara and he begins walking toward her.

You, Priscilla, and Astrid form a wall in front of her and the man stops as he looks at you three. His gaze is drawn back to Mara as C.C. and Kira stick close to her side.

True to his expression, then man's voice is eerily calm as he says, "So you are still alive, if you can call hiding behind these mortals living."

Mara remains silent, although she seems to recognize him and you ask, "Who are you?" 

He completely ignores you, his gaze still trained on Mara as he says, "No matter how broken your mind may be, surely you remember the time we spent together? I have such fond memories of you, or should I say, both of you." 

Mara seems confused and doesn't know how to respond but Priscilla asks, "What are you?"

The man turns his head to Priscilla but says nothing, staring at her for a moment before looking at Mara once again. Astrid isn't used to being ignored like this and you can see the anger on her face.

"C.C., you and Kira can only fight with magic so you're not going to be any help right now. Get her away from here." Astrid says as she reaches out and grabs the man's shoulder.

The man looks to her before quickly stabbing his fingers into her stomach. You draw your sword in a flash and strike, but the man moves faster than you can see and your sword hits the ground. Astrid gets to her feet and although you can see blood, her wound doesn't seem serious. 

He softly laughs and says, "You believe you can kill me?" 

You smile and say, "It's kind of dangerous for me to use magic right now, so if I can't use it against you, that works for me." 

"I see, then I suppose I should thank you. Your energy will serve us well as we consume this world, and your sacrifice deserves a courtesy. You wished to know my name, but I do not have one. We are merely fragments of his greater will, I was the sixth to be separated from him." He says without emotion.

"From who? Stop playing these fucking games and give us a straight answer!" Astrid yells.

Sixth raises his hand and calmly says, "Nero dwells within us all."

Suddenly a massive bolt of lightning strikes in front of you. Your senses alerted you in time for you to evade, but as the magic impacts the ground, it sends an electric shockwave rippling across the dirt. The unexpected tactic hits you and Astrid, but Priscilla managed to get just out of range. Your body tenses up and you fall to the ground, seeing Astrid in the same condition.

The two of you struggle to get to your feet as Priscilla waves her glowing hand and then charges toward Sixth. He remains motionless as she moves around to his side and leaps in for an attack, but suddenly he snaps his head toward her. Priscilla is caught by the neck and Sixth slams her into the ground. You and Astrid rush to her aid but Sixth drags her through the brittle terrain as he spins around and throws her towards Astrid. 

Astrid catches Priscilla as you approach and swing hard, but again Sixth easily evades. You swing and miss again as Sixth quickly reshapes his arm into a blade. He slashes your stomach and even with the enchantments, your armor is torn like paper. You tried to back away and avoided a lethal blow, but blood begins slowly dripping down the plates of your armor. Sixth doesn't waste a second and his arm reforms as he blasts you with fire magic. 

As you feel the heat searing into your flesh, your energy forms a barrier as you remember Astrid teaching you aboard Farah's airship. It shields you from the heat, but the force sends you tumbling across the ground. Astrid and Priscilla help you to your feet as Sixth begins walking toward you. You take the lead as the three of you begin attacking in unison.

Priscilla throws a knife as your blade crashes against Sixth's. Three on one is a disadvantage at this point, as your attacks could easily hit your allies. Slowly, you begin to fall into a rhythm and you time your strikes between Priscilla's knives and Astrid's claws. Sixth blocks your sword and then kicks you aside and Astrid takes your place without missing a beat. One after another, Sixth sends your friends flying and you charge him again. 

You trade blows with him and although Fourth seemed stronger, Sixth's speed makes it hard to keep up. Sixth evades your slash and his blade cuts deep into your arm. The pain makes you back away but Sixth presses forward and kicks you away again. 

"We have to cooperate, he's too powerful to fight alone." Priscilla says as she helps you up.

"I can keep him busy, you two just wait for an opening." Astrid replies. 

Astrid's claws lengthen as she runs toward Sixth and his arm takes the form of a blade once again. You and Priscilla slowly move to either side as Astrid and Sixth clash. You see Astrid is giving everything she's got and yet Sixth hasn't so much as taken a step back. You decide to intervene before she is overwhelmed and Priscilla follows your lead. 

You reach him first and he immediately changes his stance and fends off both you and Astrid without taking a single hit. Priscilla stabs Sixth in the back, but he quickly backs off and you continue the assault without a moment's rest. The three of you move as one, and after one attack lands it is immediately followed by another. Surprisingly, Sixth is able to defend himself against all three of you for a few exhausting minutes, but eventually Astrid lands a vicious blow against his golden mask. 

A large crack creeps across the golden mask as Sixth falls to his back, and the three of you pounce on him and attack like wild animals. Astrid and Priscilla rip and tear his flesh as they savagely dismember him. You slam your fists into Sixth as hard as you possibly can and even after his mask is in pieces and most of his body has been flattened into the ground, he begins to laugh softly.

His voice sounds ethereal and doesn't seem to come from his body as he says, "We will devour all of you."

His eerie laugh fades away and you take a few steps back before sitting down. You have little time to catch your breath though, as you suddenly see demons running out from a nearby cliff. There appears to be some kind of tunnel that leads underground and you stand up trying to get a better view.

"You think another one's in there?" Astrid asks still breathing heavily.

"Yeah." You reply as C.C. and Kira lead Mara back to your group.

"Mika, I don't know if it's safe out here. What should we do?" C.C. asks glancing at Mara.

You look to Mara and say, "We're gonna stick together. We can't stop now, something is down there, I can feel it."

Astrid walks over near the tunnel entrance and grabs a woman as she tries to flee. She drags the screaming woman over to your group and tosses her to the ground.

"Shut up! What the hell is going on down there?" Astrid asks the bewildered demon woman. 

She quiets down and then says, " H-he... He's down there."

"He has a golden mask, right?" You ask as you kneel beside her. 

The woman nods and Priscilla asks, "What is he doing in there?"

The demon finally recognizes you and she seems frightened until you say, "I'm not going to hurt you, you've done nothing wrong. That man killed innocent people and we're going to stop him."

She looks at you unconvinced and says, "You might have killed Iliya, but that monster can't be harmed."

"What is he doing in there?" Priscilla repeats her question, growing frustrated.

The woman looks at her and says, "Feeding. He consumes energy and makes copies of himself. They... he is the corruption."

"They're clones? It explains their similar appearance, but their powers vary wildly. Perhaps it depends on who he consumes?" Priscilla thinks aloud.

You sigh and say, "Alright, thanks for telling us what we needed to know." You help the woman to her feet and continue, "Get going. We'll try to save anyone left in there."

The woman gives you a surprised look and then takes off running as Astrid says, "You ready for another fight?"

You nod and walk closer to the tunnel, but you feel scared. More frightened than when you thought Iliya had killed your friends, and even more than when you passed out in the factory thinking you were going to die. You take a deep breath and your group stares into the tunnel for a moment, but before anyone makes a move, footsteps can be heard from inside.


	10. Flesh Of Corruption

The air becomes heavy, making it hard to breathe as the footsteps grow closer. The severed head of a demon rolls out from the tunnel and dissolves into black slime as another cloaked man walks into the open. Something is different about this one though, his golden mask seems to move almost as if it's his real face. You watch his expression change as he breathes deeply and finally looks toward your group.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to find me." The man says with a smile.

His mere presence is somehow making you feel weak, like every ounce of power you have is nothing compared to his. Regardless, you muster your courage and take a step forward.

"Are you Nero? The one that sent those other..." You begin.

You didn't see him move, but suddenly Nero is standing in front of you gripping your neck tightly.

"How dare you speak my name human." Nero says as his pitch black eyes seem to stare through you.

He tosses you aside and you are sent flying across the ground. You tumble and finally come to a stop after crashing into a large rock, choking as you rise to your feet. You breathe heavily and try to calm your nerves as you run back towards the fight. Nero already has Priscilla by her throat and Astrid is struggling to get to her feet as you arrive. Before you can react, ice magic swirls around Priscilla and entombs her in a large crystal.

"Priscilla!" You yell as Astrid charges toward Nero.

Astrid lands a powerful blow against Nero's mask, but he takes the full impact without moving an inch. You heard a sickening crunch when Astrid attacked, but as she backs away you see her hand is badly broken. Once again, Nero instantly appears behind Astrid and grabs her by one of her horns. He smiles as he tears off one of Astrid's wings and she screams in pain. You rush toward her with your blade drawn and swing hard, but Nero appears behind you just before the attack lands. Still holding Astrid with one hand, Nero grabs your arm as you swing again.

Nero laughs and throws his head back as his chest begins to open. He splits apart and reforms as two separate bodies, but unlike the numbered clones, this one doesn't have a head. The headless clone holding Astrid rips off her other wing but before you can react, Nero crushes your arm. 

You scream as you feel the bones tearing through muscle and skin as your sword falls to the ground. Nero bends down and picks up your blade admiring it for a moment before imbuing it with his corrupted, black energy. You limply struggle but Nero has an iron grip on your forearm. 

Nero presses the tip of the blade against your armor and leans in close, studying every little detail of your agony as he slowly drives your sword into your gut. The pain is more intense than anything you've ever felt and you can't hold yourself back any longer. You let out a bloodcurdling scream and tears stream down your face as Nero smiles and sinks the blade to the hilt. 

You try to scream again as Nero twists your sword, but blood fills your lungs and you choke. Your legs feel like rubber and you struggle to stay upright as you feel yourself becoming lightheaded. Without a weapon, your only defense is magic. You don't bother trying to restrict the flow of energy and release it in full, but your mangled arm triggers an explosion. 

You open your eyes and are lying on your back a few feet away from Nero, who drops your sword and watches you with a grin. You cough up blood and try to get to your feet, but as your right arm touches the ground, you are met with incredible pain. You look down in shock as you see you right arm has been blown off just below the elbow. Blood is pouring from the wound and you try to cup your other hand over the wound.

"I was expecting more from you, oh well, you're only human." Nero says in a disappointed tone.

You use your left arm to return to your feet in time to see Astrid in about the same condition as you. Nero walks into his clone and they merge back into one as he raises Astrid by her horn and his fist crashes against her cheek. Astrid's horn snaps and she is sent flying into the wasteland. Nero turns his attention to C.C., Kira, and Mara cowering near the frozen Priscilla. You can barely keep yourself on your feet, but you stumble closer to Nero.

Nero stops his advance and looks irritated as he says, "Maybe Iliya wasn't such a weakling after all, you just won't die when you're told, will you?"

In a flash, Nero's arm extends and he grabs you by the throat before it retracts, dragging you along with it. You have nothing left and limply hang as Nero lifts you above his head and slams you into the ground. Blood fills your vision as you feel Nero pummeling you into the brittle terrain. 

The crunching of the dirt around you and Nero's maniacal laughter are all you can hear until suddenly everything goes quiet. You still feel the impacts of Nero's attacks, but you feel yourself slipping in and out of consciousness. The world goes black and the last thing you think of is Gwen's smiling face.

You faintly hear voices but can't open your eyes, or even move. You drift back unconscious and sometime later, you awaken. Your head feels a bit clearer now and you struggle to remember what happened. Suddenly, you remember Nero's face and it snaps you back to reality. 

You sit up and immediately cough up blood. You try to wipe your mouth, but as your arm comes close to your face, you nearly have a heart attack. Your arm is mostly regrown, but not all of the muscles are regrown and there is still no skin. 

"M-mika, please.. don't move." Mara says weakly.

You try to respond but your throat is very dry so you lay back down. C.C. notices you're awake and glides over to your side. 

"Mika... are you alright?" C.C. asks timidly.

You motion for water and a few moments later, C.C. brings you a glass and you drink it quickly. 

You take a few deep breathes before saying, "I... think so, what happened? Is everyone alright?"

"Yeah, you were in the worst shape. Astrid was beat up pretty badly, but she's ok now. When they brought us down here, the heat helped thaw out Priscilla without harming her." C.C. says.

You look around and notice you are in some kind of a small room. The walls are made of uncut stone, making you believe you are underground but it is very warm. 

"Where are we?" You ask.

"Just get some rest for now, Mara has been working really hard. After you're all better, we can figure out what to do next." C.C. replies.

You nod and as she exits the room you look to Mara and say, "Hey, I think I can take over now. You should get some rest." 

Mara looks exhausted and says, "Are you sure?"

You smile and nod but as Mara stops healing you, the pain returns in full. You do your best to hide it from her as you quickly begin healing yourself. You are nowhere near as adept as Mara is and the pain doesn't fully go away, but you can at least see that it's healing. Mara climbs onto the bed next to you and a few moments after resting her head on the pillow, she is asleep.

Your mind is racing with all the unanswered questions about Nero, but you do your best to focus on recovering. A few hours later, a demon enters your room. You are apprehensive at first but the woman calmly grabs a small towel and kneels down beside you. She begins gently cleaning the area around your stomach where Nero stabbed you. You had nearly forgotten about that, but it must have been healed by Mara.

"Thank you." You say to the woman.

"It's no trouble. You saved some of my friends and I am repaying you, that's all. Do not think I have forgotten who you are." The woman says without looking at you.

You think for a moment before saying, "I know it doesn't mean much, but I'm sorry for the way things turned out. There was a lot more going on than I realized."

The woman looks at you for a moment before saying, "You're right, it's not much, but it's something at least. I don't want to be considered the same as Iliya, and I'm glad you turned out not to be just another bloodthirsty killer."

You smile and reply, "I'll make things right, I promise."

The woman looks confused and says, "What do you mean?"

"The people, I'll convince them demons can be trusted. Maybe someday we can live together in peace..." You respond.

The woman laughs and says, "I doubt that will ever happen, but enough about that. I know a few healing spells, would you like me to take over?"

You shrug and say, "Sure, if you don't mind. I was getting pretty tired and my friend is still asleep."

"Yes, she is remarkable. Who is she? Where are my manners, I'm Nami." The woman says with a smile. 

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mika, but I guess you already knew that." You reply trying to divert her attention.

Nami smiles and says, "There aren't many demons that don't know who you are. Sit back now and relax."

You nod and lay back down as Nami releases her energy. You drift back to sleep after a while and when you wake up, Mara is hard at work healing your wounds. The flesh has mostly regrown and it looks much better than the last time you saw it.

Mara weakly smiles and you say, "I think I can do the rest myself, try to get some rest." 

Mara gets into bed as you slowly rise to your feet. You look at your arm and see that it has mostly healed, although it still feels a little strange. You decide to continue healing it as you exit the room. When you open the door, the temperature increases dramatically, and you immediately see the source of the heat.

You are standing in a massive underground cavern and rivers of molten lava flow below the thick stone pillars. Each column has a few small buildings carved into them with long, thin stone bridges connecting them. You gaze over the edge and about a hundred feet below, the lava flows around the pillars and travels deeper into the earth.

From behind you hear Priscilla say, "Watch your step."

You turn around and say, "Yeah, no kidding. What is this place?"

"It turns out I was wrong, this entire city has been out here in the wastelands and no one knew about it. The tunnel that Nero came from led down here." Priscilla says marveling at the landscape.

"I don't remember what happened after we started fighting." You say trying to recall.

"It seems Mara saved us all. When I was finally thawed out, C.C. told me that she unleashed her powers and Nero fled." Priscilla says.

"She saved us again? So has she regained any of her memories?" You ask.

Priscilla shrugs and says, "I don't know, she's been preoccupied pulling you back from the brink of death for the last two days."

You shudder at the thought of how easily you were defeated, when suddenly you remember Gwen.

"Where's the Valkyria?" You ask with concern.

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "I haven't heard from them, we've been down here since the demons dragged our bodies from the surface."

You sigh in relief and say, "So the demons rescued us then?"

Priscilla nods and says, "Yes, if not for them, we would have died out there. They patched us up while Mara recovered enough to heal us."

"Where is everyone?" You ask looking around.

"Astrid and C.C. are resting now, they've been helping the injured while you recovered. Kira learned a simple healing spell from one of the locals and she's been practicing nonstop. How are you feeling though, you were in the worst condition out of everyone." Priscilla replies.

"I'm ok I think. It's strange, I know how close I was to dying, but right now I feel pretty good. Mara's magic is really incredible." You say while looking at your injuries.

Priscilla nods and says, "Yes well, if the pattern holds true, Mara should regain quite a bit of power this time. I've noticed a connection between her using energy and her memories returning. It seems like the seal on her powers wasn't unintentional, rather, it's as if it can be turned off as needed."

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"Think back to when Mara has used her powers. Usually, she starts hiding behind one of us but when there is no other choice, suddenly she can expertly wield any kind of magic. It seems awfully convenient, don't you agree?" Priscilla says.

You think for a moment and say, "You mean she's been lying about her powers this whole time?"

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "No, I don't believe so. What I meant is maybe the corruption isn't responsible for Mara's current state. Perhaps she imposed these restrictions upon herself."

"What? Why would she do that?" You ask in confusion.

"To safeguard herself from corruption, to prevent people from discovering her identity, there are plenty of reasons but I don't think she remembers anything about that yet." Priscilla responds.

You sigh and say, "I still don't get it, wouldn't it just be easier to have access to all of her powers from the start?"

"You saw what Nero is capable of. If he was able to find Mara before she ran into you, all of us would probably be dead by now." Priscilla says.

"Yeah, you're right." You say with a sigh. You look around before continuing, "So what should we do now? We can't let Nero roam free, but we don't stand a chance against him."

Priscilla sighs and says, "Yes, it's a difficult position to be in. Hmm, what about his clones? We've defeated two already, maybe that's why Mara was able to repel him? It's only a theory, but taking on his clones will allow us to gather more information and will give us time to come up with a better plan."

You nod and say, "Yeah, that makes sense. Do we know where any of them are, or how many are left?"

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "No, but I don't think it will be very difficult to track them. I've been thinking about why they killed Hakon and attacked Cyldell. I believe they are consuming those with the highest concentration of energy first, eliminating our ability to resist. If I'm right, they will find us sooner or later."

"Great, so now we're being hunted?" You reply.

Priscilla nods and says, "It's very likely. We need to be on guard at all times and stick together."

You take a deep breath and say, "Alright, I'll go get Astrid and C.C., can you take Mara and get Kira?"

Priscilla nods and says, "Of course. Should we meet here?"

"No, let's meet outside and I'll call the Valkyria." You reply.

Priscilla agrees and you walk across one of the bridges toward where Astrid and C.C. are supposed to be. The bridge is narrow, only about five feet across, and you carefully make your way to the other side as tiny stones fall from the walkway down into the magma below. At the other end of the bridge, you open a small wooden door and see your friends sitting on a nearby couch.

"Look who's awake." Astrid says with a smirk.

C.C. glides over and inspects your arm as she says, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, thanks to Mara." You reply.

"She healed Astrid too, but she was too stubborn to sit still. I think she wanted her to heal you first." C.C. says with a smile.

"Shut up. So you ready to get out of here?" Astrid asks.

You nod and say, "Yeah, Priscilla and I were thinking about trying to take out some of his clones before fighting him again. We need some kind of plan."

Astrid gets up and says, "Good, we need to pay that asshole back ten fold."

You let C.C. take the lead and follow her through the tunnel back into the wasteland. You emerge into the daylight and feel much cooler now.

"What's that?" Astrid says as you pull the beacon from your pocket.

"Sid gave it to me. He said it would let him know where we are and then he can come pick us up." You reply.

"Well, maybe he isn't so useless after all." Astrid says.

You press the center of the small silver coin and you hear a click. An emblem on one side of the coin flashes red and you sit down against a rock as you wait. Priscilla and Kira exit the tunnel a few minutes later and Priscilla sets Mara down next to you. 

About an hour later, you hear the familiar sound of an airship approaching and you stand up. A few minutes later, the Valkyria lands in the wasteland and your group heads inside.

As you enter the bridge, Ulyena cries out, "Thank the gods you're all alright!"

Sid grabs her by the ear and pulls her back before saying, "You had us all pretty worried, you alright?"

You nod and say, "Yeah, thanks. How have you been?"

"We're fine, we didn't run into any trouble. We stayed in the area as long as we could, but we needed to refuel. We headed back to Valen and stayed there until I saw the signal from the beacon." Sid explains.

You think for a moment and say, "Have you heard anything about those men?"

Sid nods and says, "Yeah, they're everywhere. Ships have been coming into Valen from all over saying the same thing, some guy in a gold mask is eating people. Thankfully besides the refugees, there hasn't been much going on in Valen."

You nod and say, "Where was the last sighting?"

"A ship coming from Cyldell saw two of them heading towards the island." Sid replies.

"Then that's where we'll go." You say confidently.

Sid doesn't look thrilled about heading towards danger, but he agrees and sets a course. As the ship takes off you head to the lounge and see Gwen sitting on the couch. She jumps up and hugs you and you let out a soft laugh as you return her embrace. 

You sit down and Gwen happily joins you as you look at your friends. Priscilla seems alright, although who knows how being in that ice affected her internally. Astrid is acting like her usual self, but her broken horn and severed wings tell a different story. With no magic, she's in worse shape than anyone else, although she would never show it. 

C.C. and Kira however, seem to be struggling with the fact that they could do nothing to help during the fight. They seem overly attentive to your every need and treat Priscilla and Astrid the same. 

'Iliya was one thing, but Nero... I don't know how we're supposed to beat something like that.' You think to yourself. You clear your mind of doubts and decide to check on Mara. Without her there is no hope, and you owe it to her to do everything in your power to help her stop Nero. You walk down the hall and lean against the doorway of your room where Mara is sleeping soundly.

Thin arms wrap around you from behind and you hear C.C. say, "I'm sorry Mika, there was nothing I could do. I just froze up. That's never happened to me before."

You turn around and say, "You did everything you could, we all did. I'm just glad we're all ok."

C.C. looks sad and says, "I wasn't much help against Iliya, but at least I could take out her soldiers. I can't do anything against Nero though, I feel like I should just stay on the ship so I won't get in your way."

You put your hand on C.C.'s shoulder and say, "I don't know how we're going to beat him, but I do know that it's going to take every little bit of power we have, and that includes you. I would never have been reunited with Gwen if it wasn't for all of you helping me. This is the same, we just have to work together."

You see your words had the intended effect as C.C. smiles and says, "Thanks, I needed to hear that."

"I think we all need a pep talk right about now." You say with a soft laugh.

"What you need is C.C.'s special service." C.C. says with a grin.

'What else can you expect from a succubus?' You think to yourself.

You smile and say, "Alright then, lead the way."

C.C. grabs your hand and leads you into her room across the hall. She disrobes in an instant and quickly pulls your pants down. 

"Hey easy. I'm not going anywhere." You say.

"Sorry, I'm just really horny. I haven't had sex in a few days and I feel like I'm going crazy." C.C. says before taking your soft cock into her mouth.

The sudden pleasure makes your knees weak and you sit on the edge of the bed as C.C. readjusts herself. She flicks her tongue against your clit and runs it up your shaft. She tenderly kisses the head of your cock and pre cum coats her lips. C.C. takes the head into her mouth again and expertly teases you as she slowly brings you closer to orgasm. 

You know she would spend all day down there if you let her, so eventually you lift her head and kiss her deeply. You taste your own juices on her lips, but you couldn't care less. You pick up the small succubus and lay her on the bed. C.C. grabs your cock and begins rubbing it against her pussy. She's already wet and after coating your cock, she presses it against her ass.

You gently push it in and C.C. moans softly as she wraps her arms around your neck. She leans in and kisses you again and your tongue mashes against hers as you slowly increase your pace. C.C. runs her fingers through your hair and tries to match your rhythm as you break the kiss and focus on her incredibly tight hole. 

It feels like her insides are milking you, trying to get every last drop of cum out of you. It reminds you of when you first met, when she woke you up in Andere. C.C. cries out as her pussy spasms and you feel her juices flowing onto your stomach. Another few thrusts and you are shooting your cum inside C.C.'s ass to her delight. After your orgasm has subsided, you pull out and clean up as C.C. rubs her stomach, almost as if she were pregnant.

You hand her a towel and say, "You ok now?"

C.C. smiles and says, "Yeah, I can't really explain the feeling. It's like having an itch you can't scratch, but I feel much better now."

C.C. cleans herself up and sits next to you as she says, "Hey Mika, will you... sleep with me?"

"What?" You ask.

C.C.'s cheeks become flushed as she says, "Only for a little while, it's just, most times I don't get to just lay with someone. It's a nice feeling."

You let out a soft laugh and say, "Sure, we have some time to kill so why not?"

You lay back in her bed and C.C. cuddles you with a smile on her face. You wonder if it's really that hard for her to go without sex, but in this world, that won't really be a problem for her. You take a deep breath and after a few minutes, you fall asleep.


	11. A Light In The Dark

"Mika, we've arrived. You and C.C. meet us outside when you're ready." Priscilla says, waking you from a pleasant dream.

You stretch before getting out of bed and C.C. follows you outside. You haven't been back to the island since the fight against Iliya but even now, this place creeps you out. The landscape looks very similar to the wasteland now that you think about it. As your group makes its way towards the ruined fortress surrounding the crumbling remains of the factory, the conversation shifts towards Priscilla's research.

"So what exactly were you doing out here all this time?" Astrid asks.

"With Iliya gone, my hope was to reverse the effects of the black slime she was using to corrupt people. Unfortunately the more I learned, the more questions I had. I know Iliya had researchers working on this around the clock, but I'm not sure if anyone would be able to accurately study it with our level of technology. It's vastly different of course, but it reminds me of Mara's divine energy in a way." Priscilla explains.

"Then how was Iliya able to control it so easily?" Astrid asks.

Priscilla thinks for a moment and says, "What if she wasn't? Remember, Nero had knew of Iliya, but to my knowledge she was unaware of him. That demon we caught outside the tunnel said he was corruption itself. What if the slime is actually a part of Nero? Pure corruption coalesced into a single entity..." 

"What does that mean? What is he?" You ask trying to wrap your head around this.

"I'm not entirely sure, this is only a theory, but..." Priscilla trails off.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

"Damn it! He's been watching me this whole time! That's why I could never seem to make any progress, and how he instantly knew how to deal with us. How could I not have seen this?" Priscilla rages.

"Hey calm down. There's no way you could have known." You say.

"Yeah and he still doesn't know we're all ok." C.C. adds.

Priscilla sighs and says, "Yes well, he still has the upper hand." She takes a look around and then continues, "Alright, if anyone notices any slime, act naturally. I doubt it will be of much use, but let's not give him any more of an advantage."

You finally arrive at the fortress as the conversation dies down. Still bearing the scars of that incredible battle, there is a path leading down to the bottom of the factory. Although the path is a straight shot, it's also littered with jagged pieces of metal and large chunks of rubble. 

You carefully lead the way through the debris as you say, "I'm surprised you haven't cleared some of this away by now Priscilla."

"I was planning on it, but when I investigated the ruins only a few weeks after our battle, there was almost no traces of slime anywhere. With so little to study, I had to rely on samples taken from elsewhere on the island for my research." Priscilla replies.

"Are you sure those guys would even go down here?" Astrid asks.

"No, but it's the best place to start searching. Take my word for it, there isn't much else here. Even the crater where Mika encountered Mara was surprisingly empty." Priscilla says.

Upon reaching the bottom floor, Kira lights up the dark interior with her magic. Being back here is sending shivers down your spine and you can still see the bloodstains on the cracked stone floor. The room is completely wrecked and as you look around, you don't see any sign of Nero or his clones.

"I suppose it was a bit of a long shot, they had a few days lead on us." Priscilla says after looking around for a few minutes.

You sigh and say, "So now what, we wait for them to attack us? We can't go back to a city if that's the case."

The room goes quiet for a few minutes, but no one can think of a solution and Astrid gets impatient. She spots something on the floor and walks over to pick it up. 

"I'll be damned." Astrid says under her breath while holding a small knife.

"What's that?" You ask.

Astrid walks back over and says, "This was given to me by a friend but I thought I had lost it before I got away from Iliya. If it's down here, I assume Iliya stole it for herself, the greedy bitch."

Astrid tosses the knife into the air a few times while saying, "I never really needed it or anything, but there was something I liked about this knife. Oh well, it's been gone for so long it probably reeks of Iliya by now."

Astrid catches the knife and throws it into a dark corner of the room without looking. It embeds itself into the wall, but the loose mortar gives way and a few large stones fall away, revealing what looks like a tunnel.

"Was that there before?" You ask trying to recall.

Priscilla nods and says, "It must have been, although I've never seen it. It leads even deeper, but what could possibly be down there?"

Astrid steps closer and says, "One way to find out."

Astrid kicks a few large pieces of rubble out of her way and clears a path for you to follow. You step into the dark tunnel trying to stay close to Astrid as the path descends and snakes its way deeper into the earth. The tunnel ends in a small room and in the center is something that looks eerily familiar.

A perfect sphere is suspended a few inches above the ground giving off a pale, hazy purple glow. It's big enough that you could easily fit inside and the surface ripples like liquid. You get excited, thinking maybe this will take you back home, but when you peer deeper into the sphere you can see it is not your world on the other side.

Through the hazy portal, you can make out demons fighting what looks like a war against monsters. Suddenly Mara screams and you look back to see her on her knees holding her head. She looks terrified and quickly gets up and runs back through the tunnel without warning.

Priscilla takes off after her while saying, "Kira come with me, she can't be left alone right now."

Kira agrees and they exit the room as Astrid says, "What the... Mika look."

You follow her gaze and in the sphere you can see two of Nero's clones walking towards you, or rather, the portal. They don't seem to notice you though as they continue their advance and you have an idea.

"Astrid, I don't think they can see us. Maybe we can ambush them." You say.

Astrid nods and says, "Yeah, they won't be expecting it after what Nero did to us, that's for sure. This room is too small though and the floor above isn't much better."

You think for a moment and say, "Then we hit them as soon as they get out of the tunnel. We'll bury them in what's left of this place."

You quickly lead the way back to the bottom floor of the factory and survey the room.

"C.C. can you burn away the walls here and over there with your magic?" You ask.

C.C. agrees and begins melting specific parts of the walls. You walk back to the tunnel leading outside and watch as the back walls are almost completely melted away.

"Hey that's enough, come back before they get here." You call out as C.C. glides back over to you.

You look to Astrid and say, "Think you can bring it down in one hit?"

Astrid nods and says, "Yeah of course I can, but are you sure they'll even come this way? The one's we've seen so far have just opened portals whenever they feel like it."

You hadn't thought of that and reply, "Should we make some noise or something to draw them out then?"

Astrid shrugs and says, "I guess we're gonna have to, but it might spoil our little surprise."

You look around and say, "I hope Priscilla found Mara already. The last thing we need is her getting caught in the middle of a battle."

After a few tense moments, you feel the overwhelming presence of Nero's clones as they exit the portal. Astrid picks up a stone and hurls it toward the debris, causing a loud noise to echo through the room. The three of you hide and wait as footsteps from the tunnel draw closer.

"You ready?" Astrid whispers.

You nod and reply, "Yeah as soon as they're out of the tunnel, we'll hit them and get back up to the surface. At least we can fight out in the open up there."

The cloaked men slowly enter the room and Astrid slams her fist into the wall so hard the whole structure shakes. The ceiling collapses onto the clones as you, Astrid, and C.C. race back through the tunnel and into the daylight.

"Did we get them?" You ask peering into the tunnel as it fills with smoke.

As if in response to your question, black energy begins to crackle around the debris. Suddenly it explodes, sending large pieces of stone and jagged metal flying in all directions. You back away while shielding your face as you see both clones emerge from the wreckage.

"You've made a foolish mistake, challenging us like this." One of the men says.

"Don't be like that Seventh, they've sought us out, the least we could do is skin them alive." The other says with a hideous laugh.

Seventh turns to face the other clone and you see his mask is featureless, without eye holes even.

"He will be pleased if we leave them for him to deal with, but you're not going to let this go, are you Fifth?" Seventh says as he faces your group.

Fifth's mask is twisted into a bizarre grin, almost as if he's laughing. It certainly fits with his maniacal personality as he laughs at Seventh's question.

"Of course not, look at them. Oh, I can already hear their beautiful screams." Fifth says looking over your group.

Sickened by their behavior, Astrid steps forward and says, "I've heard enough, are you ready or what?"

"Whenever you are." Fifth gloats.

Astrid charges in and you follow close behind as C.C. readies her magic. You raise your sword and prepare to attack as Astrid leaps into the air and crashes into Seventh. Your blade sinks deep into Fifth's chest and he falls to his knees. You and Astrid quickly back away as C.C. throws black fire at the clones engulfing them in flames. 

As you wonder if it was really this easy, something catches your eye. Tiny particles are swirling in the air around you and they seem to be growing larger by the second. They pulse with dark energy and suddenly an explosion throws you into the air. 

You fall to the ground and get to your feet. Despite the pain, you think you're alright. You see Astrid and C.C. were also caught in the blast and as they rise you hear laughter.

"So close! I'll be generous and give you one more, so why don't you try again?" Fifth says mockingly.

You quickly look back but the clones you and Astrid killed are no longer lying on the ground. Before you can asses the situation, Astrid charges in again and you are forced to support her. You keep some distance between you and Astrid this time, looking for anything out of the ordinary, but nothing catches your eye.

Astrid grabs Seventh by his mask and throws him into Fifth, sending them crashing into the ground. They aren't even defending themselves as she mercilessly pummels them and then you see the swirling energy again. 

"Astrid look..." You begin.

The explosion takes your breath away and you tumble across the ground. When your vision clears, you see Fifth and Seventh sitting on a nearby rock, clearly enjoying their handiwork. 

"Damn it, what the hell is going on?" Astrid says as she gets to her feet and spits blood.

Fifth appears next to Astrid and says, "You've always been a fiery one, haven't you Astrid."

Astrid is caught off guard and backs away as she says, "What? You don't know anything about me."

Fifth calmly walks towards her and says, "That's not true, I think the real problem is that you don't know who you really are." Before she can react, Fifth grabs her by the throat and says, "It doesn't matter though, you're mine now so the only thing you should be concerned with, is all the delicious pain I'm going to cause you."

You quickly stab Fifth but when you blink, he's gone. Astrid gasps for air as she looks around, but they are nowhere to be seen.

"Up there!" C.C. yells.

You look up and see Fifth heading straight towards you and you barely manage to raise your sword in time. As Fifth touches your sword, he vanishes and you feel something hit you from behind. You fall onto your stomach and see Seventh has you pinned to the ground. 

Astrid tries to get him off but she is caught by Fifth as he tackles her. Seventh raises his arms and you suddenly can't move anymore. Seeing the look in Astrid's eyes tells you she's in the same condition and you feel Seventh kneel down next to you.

"What's this?" Seventh says as he picks up the beacon.

'Damn! It must have fallen out of my pocket.' You think as Seventh stands up and crushes the coin before letting it fall to the floor. The emblem on the coin flickers and then fades away as you curse yourself for letting them destroy it.

"Aahhh!" Astrid screams, snapping you back to reality.

You look over and see Fifth extending one of his fingers into a sharp blade. He slowly sinks it into Astrid's chest and then drags it along her breasts.

"I'm gonna... fucking kill you... Aahh!" Astrid screams.

Fifth laughs and says, "I know you like to pretend not to care, but what would you do if I hurt her instead?" He turns to you and looks you over before saying, "This won't do at all, covered in metal like this."

Completely defenseless, you tremble as Fifth effortlessly picks you up and presses his finger against your shoulder. You feel his knife like finger penetrate your armor and then sink into your flesh as you hold back from screaming. Fifth slowly drags his finger down, tearing through your armor as if it weren't even there. 

The miniature blade works its way down your torso and into your thigh before it suddenly stops. Fifth reaches up and grabs your armor, bending it open with ease and exposing your breasts. With nothing covering it, you see the long bloody trail his claw left in your flesh.

Fifth tightens his grip on your throat and begins saying something. The world is slowly fading away and you can't quite concentrate enough to make out his words but something catches your eye. High in the sky, you see the Valkyria charging it's cannons, although they are pointed in the wrong direction.

Just as your vision begins to fade, the Valkyria's massive cannons fire and a thin beam of energy pierces through a large rock formation about twenty feet away. Suddenly you blink and you are on the ground. You struggle to your feet and notice your armor is intact.

"Oh gods, I thought he killed you!" C.C. says as she hugs you from behind.

"It must have just been an illusion or something." You say trying to shake off the groggy feeling.

Astrid grabs her head and says, "What the hell happened?"

"I think Sid saved us. Maybe he could see where they were hiding from up there." You say trying to piece things together.

After seeing she is uninjured Astrid says, "I'm sick of being toyed with. Let's show them some real pain."

You nod and make your way to where the Valkyria fired. The large rocks have been obliterated and smoke billows from the blast site. A black hand bursts through the rubble and struggles to free itself as an overwhelming energy makes the ground shake.

"Well done, ugh, I've never much cared for his tricks, but I must admit it was very amusing to watch you struggle against nothing." Fifth says as he emerges from the rubble.

His cloak is shredded, revealing his pitch black flesh and he's clutching the severed head of Seventh. From his tone and posture, the blast took its toll on Fifth, but he stands defiantly atop the rubble like he's enjoying himself. He raises the festering head into the air as his mask distorts and drops it into his waiting mouth, devouring it whole. The energy radiating off of Fifth grows and starts to push you back as his mask reverts to its original form. 

"Damn, he's getting stronger." Astrid says.

"Indeed, when he gets like this, there's no stopping him." A voice says from behind you.

"He consumed Seventh as well, so there's no chance of escape now." Another voice responds.

You turn and see two more clones standing motionless behind you and quickly reposition yourself so you can see all of them. The two new clones have identical masks, the opposite half of each seems almost melted or warped. C.C. and Astrid join you and you watch as the three clones meet and face your group. 

"Would you like assistance..." One of the clones begins but he is grabbed by the throat by Fifth.

"Sure why not, I'd love to see their faces when they see this." Fifth says excitedly.

The earth shakes violently as two large tendrils of dark energy emerge from the ground and pierce through the two other clones as Fifth laughs maniacally. Smaller tendrils burst forth from the larger ones and embed themselves into Fifth's back. His energy explodes around him sending your group flying backwards as Fifth continues laughing.

As you rise to your feet, you hear Priscilla calling your name. You turn around and see her carrying Mara on her back with Kira close behind.

"Are you alright?" You ask.

"Yes, for now." Priscilla looks at Fifth as his power still grows larger and says, "Mika, none of us stand a chance against him, I don't think we can even escape at this point."

You look back at Fifth and grit your teeth as Mara says, "There is a way, but it's dangerous."

You sigh and say, "We really don't have a choice, what is it?"

Mara hops down from Priscilla's back and says, "I can amplify your power, but you will still have to control it."

You nod and say, "Yeah, I was afraid you were going to say that. Alright get on my back."

Mara climbs onto your back and your feel her begin to imbue you with her divine energy. With her aid, it's easier to withstand the fearsome power emanating from Fifth.

You turn to your friends and say, "If anything happens to me, please... take care of Gwen."

Astrid scoffs and says, "No shit, just kill that motherfucker already."

You smile and then turn back to Fifth as he begins walking toward you. You meet him halfway, trying to spare your friends from the inevitable blast. Now that you are closer, you notice Fifth looks different. His horns have grown considerably and his feet have become talons to match his razor sharp claws.

"Just you two? Ah, it's the failed goddess, let's see how long you can resist me in your state." Fifth says mockingly.

"Ignore him and keep your focus." Mara whispers as her eyes begin to glow and you feel energy surging through your body.

You take a deep breath and concentrate on your energy as you feel it building up higher than it has ever been. Fifth raises his hand and black energy shoots out toward you. 

Before you try to dodge Mara says, "I'll handle defense, you just attack."

The dark energy impacts your chest, but it bounces off like liquid as Mara shields you with her magic. It feels almost like water is rushing over you without being wet. With Mara on your back, your movements are somewhat limited. You can't properly raise your arms to strike with your sword, so you decide to rely on the incredible amount of energy flowing within you.

Fifth ends his barrage, seemingly angered by your survival and charges toward you. He quickly closes in and you raise your hand towards him. A violent stream of electricity arcs from your hand but something is wrong. You scream in pain as your hand feels like it's being torn apart. 

You immediately cut the flow of magic and inspect your hand as Fifth falls to his knees. Your fingers tremble from the pain although you can't see any injuries on your hand. Fifth returns to his feet and blasts you with magic again. You decide to work through the pain and finish this before something else goes wrong. 

You raise your hand again and release your energy, forgetting to imbue an element. Your energy turnss a brilliant, almost blinding white and it collides with Fifth's dark energy. The opposing elements battle for supremacy as you both feed every ounce of power you have into the blast.

The pain is unbearable however, and you fall to your knees as you scream, but manage to keep your attack going. Tears begin streaming down your cheeks as the pain intensifies and you struggle to stay conscious. In your weakened state, you see Fifth is also struggling as he falls to his knees and tries desperately to win the stalemate.

You feel Mara's energy begin to wane and you know you don't have much time left before she can no longer protect you. With a final anguished scream, you raise your other hand and unleash more magic until it overpowers the dark energy. The blinding white energy tears through Fifth's magic and although you can't see him, you hear his eerie laughter fade away.

You cut the flow of magic and are half surprised when it doesn't trigger an explosion. You collapse onto the dirt and breathe heavily as your friends rush to your side.

"Mika are you alright?" C.C. asks as Mara climbs off of you.

"Ugh, yeah. I think so." You say as your body trembles.

Priscilla helps you up and you look to where Fifth was. There is a wide indent in the ground from the intense magic leading to his corpse. You walk over and are unsure if he is really dead until Mara raises her hands and a soft golden glow envelops Fifth. His flesh begins to disappear and soon he is completely gone. You sigh in relief as the Valkyria begins to descend nearby.

"Does it hurt when you use magic Mika?" Kira asks after having watched your battle. 

You look to your hand and say, "Yeah, but I don't know why. I'm alright now though."

Kira gives you an unconvinced look but says nothing. 

You think for a moment before saying, "We need to see what they were up to down there."

"Yeah where did that portal lead? It looked like there were demons everywhere." Astrid remarks.

"I don't know, but we have to find out. Maybe they can help us." You say as you lead the way back to the factory.


	12. Revelation

Leading the way down the tunnel, once again you stand before the floating sphere. Its eerie purple glow bathes the room as you wonder what's on the other side.

"What do you think Priscilla, is it safe to check it out?" You ask.

Priscilla shrugs and says, "I may be a scientist, but I don't have all the answers. I don't recognize the landscape so I assume it's a completely different world. There's no way to know if it's safe, but it's our only lead."

Astrid needs no convincing and leaps through the portal before anyone can stop her. The rest of your group follows and you jump into the sphere behind them. You are in total darkness for a few moments and then suddenly you are floating in the air. You fall a few feet and land on a high cliff near your friends as they survey the landscape.

The sky is a reddish orange color and all around, the land bears the scars of constant warfare. With no trees or water in sight, this place reminds you of the wastelands, but somehow even more desolate. In the distance there appears to be a large stone structure, almost like a castle. It looks like a large portion of it has been leveled however, and you wonder why Nero's clones would even come here.

You walk to the edge of the cliff and see an army of demons fighting against monsters about fifty feet below. Horrifying and bestial, these monsters are nothing like what you've seen in Thanos. These monstrosities have no human features and look more terrifying than anything you've seen so far. The way they move is unnatural and hard to predict, but the demons below seem to have plenty of experience against these creatures.

The demons also appear different in both their looks and how they fight. They move in groups and use tactics that remind you of an ancient military from your world. They wear thick armor and carry weapons unlike the demons you've encountered, and although they are grossly outnumbered, they seem to be holding their own.

"Incredible, is this the demon realm?" Priscilla says trying to absorb every little detail.

"It's so creepy here." Kira says as she lands on Priscilla's shoulder.

"Mika, you have to be careful. I can't use my powers here." Mara says.

You nod and say, "Then this really is the demon's home world? Hey Astrid, does that mean you came from here?"

You asked your question still gazing at the battle taking place below, but when you get no response, you turn around and are shocked. Astrid's appearance has completely changed and a magical aura surrounds her. As she walks closer to the edge of the cliff, you get a better look at her. 

Her broken horn has regrown and both of them seem much longer than before. Her wings have also regrown and they also look larger than you remember. Her simple corset has turned into an elegant, short black dress that barely contains her ample breasts. On her upper arm there is a strange black crest that wasn't there before, and it glows a bright crimson as Astrid's magic swirls around her. 

"Uh... are you alright Astrid?" You ask in confusion.

Astrid looks to you and says, "I'll explain later, just sit back and enjoy the show."

You nod and agree as she stops at the edge of the cliff and surveys the battle. Her usual bloodthirsty demeanor in battle has been replaced by a calmer, more experienced attitude. This new Astrid is somehow more terrifying than before.

"Celia, make it rain." Astrid says calmly.

As C.C. makes her way to Astrid's side you notice she also looks different. C.C.'s skimpy shirt and shorts have changed into dark red metal armor that covers her arms, legs and torso. She looks ready to take part in the battle down below as she kneels beside Astrid.

"As you wish." C.C. says as she stands.

C.C. flies into the air and effortlessly conjures a massive cloud of black fire in the sky. It is much larger than before, when you amplified her powers on the island. She continues pouring her energy into the cloud as it grows darker and more ominous. 

As Astrid steps off the edge of the cliff, her wings quickly unfurl and she glides upwards near C.C. Astrid raises a single hand and immediately, the cloud grows larger than the battlefield below her. Sensing her powers have grown considerably, your group prepares for disaster. Astrid isn't exactly known for holding back after all.

"All hold! Shield formation! Hail!" Astrid yells.

The demons below are taken by surprise but immediately understand her command and group together. You see them begin to shield themselves in a magic barrier, each demon adding another layer to the barrier. Astrid calmly points to the monsters and the massive cloud rains black fire down onto them. To your surprise, the fiery rain is only hitting the monsters despite the sheer scale of her attack. 

The entire horde of monsters is quickly engulfed and under their shield, the demons are safe. The fire burns for a few moments as Astrid glides down and gently lands in one of the only places left that isn't on fire. She waves her hand and the flames instantly subside at her command as C.C. joins her.

"Let's get down there and find out what's going on." You say before you leap off the cliff.

Your group lands at the bottom and makes its way over to Astrid. The demons lower their shield and stand in awe for a few moments before they fall to their knees and bow to Astrid. They praise her and you even see a few in tears as they seemingly rejoice.

"Get up, there's no time for this. Someone tell me who's in charge." Astrid commands.

The demons look up at her and one of them says, "I can't believe you've returned! Y-you're brother took command after you disappeared. He's in the castle. P-please, let me take you there."

He points out the structure you saw earlier and motions for her to follow. You walk behind Astrid for a few moments until some of the demons stop and prevent you from following.

"Stand aside, they're coming with me." Astrid says without looking back or breaking her stride.

The demons are hesitant, but obey Astrid without question. They allow your group to follow as they lead the way to the castle. It is a decent walk, but Astrid and C.C. seem to be very important to the demons so your group trails behind, letting them enjoy the moment.

"You don't think Astrid is really royalty, do you?" You ask.

"I don't know what to think, but her new appearance is certainly... regal." Priscilla replies.

"She looks pretty and not so scary anymore." Kira giggles.

"She's a lot stronger than she was a few minutes ago, and C.C. too." You say.

"Didn't Astrid call her something else?" Kira asks.

You shrug and say, "I don't know, I was trying to figure out what they were up to."

After walking for a while in relative silence, you arrive at the remains of the castle. Up close now, you can see from the broken stone foundation that about half of the castle is gone. There is no rubble around but before you can think about it too much, the demons usher you inside. You follow Astrid up a crumbling staircase and into a small room in the back. 

Astrid throws open the doors and a demon turns around quickly. He is muscular and has a short beard, but he's taller than Astrid even in her heels. Besides the few scars, he is actually quite handsome and you wonder who he is.

"A-Astrid... Is that you?" The man says as he walks over and embraces her.

Uncharacteristically, Astrid returns his embrace, for a moment, and then steps back.

"Raith, I... What the hell happened to me?" Astrid asks.

The man gets her a chair and looks wary of your group before Astrid says, "They're no threat, relax. They're my friends."

He looks unconvinced, but ignores you as he says, "I don't know how, but someone came through that portal. He brought those fiends and in an instant, half of our castle had vanished, along with you." Raith puts his hand on Astrid's shoulder and says, "We haven't fared well in your absence, but I thought you had died. How are you still alive? Where have you been?"

Astrid thinks for a long moment and then says, "I was taken to a different world, along with everyone in my palace. I lost most of my powers and one of my subordinates got a hold of some kind of crystal that gave her incredible power. She enslaved the surviving demons and I didn't have the strength to fight her alone. This girl, Mika, was blessed by the goddess of that world and she was able to kill Iliya."

"Iliya! That unruly child got the best of you?" Raith teases.

Astrid leans forward and says, "I will tear you limb from limb."

Raith laughs heartily and then says, "It's good to have you back now sister, but why did you bring them?"

"I lost almost all of my memories when I woke up in that world, I didn't even know if this place was really where I came from until I got here. Everything came back at once." Astrid says with a sigh.

You nudge Astrid and say, "What about Nero?"

Astrid nods and says, "Raith, before I came here I saw two men in golden masks come from this world. What were they doing?"

Raith sighs and says, "When you disappeared, a seemingly unending horde of monsters appeared. It took everything I had to hold out this long, but we were finally making progress. Their numbers were beginning to decline, and then those two men showed up and summoned more from thin air. They left soon after, leaving us for their pets I assume."

"They left just like that?" Kira asks.

"He's coming here next, after he's finished with Thanos." Astrid suggests.

"That would be the most likely scenario." Priscilla adds.

You tap Astrid on the shoulder and say, "So are you going to tell us what's going on with you?"

Astrid smiles and says, "I'm the queen, well, I was until I was taken to Thanos and this is my brother, Raith. Iliya was troublesome but powerful and I was trying to teach her to control her darker instincts before we ended up in Thanos. It seems Nero incited a war here while I was away by altering the portal somehow."

"What do you mean?" You ask.

"When I was very young, there was no portal. Our world was alone, or so we thought. One day the portal appeared and anyone that got too close to it was taken away. We never knew where they went and so most of us stayed away, but nothing had ever come through to this world, until Nero found a way." Astrid explains.

"That's impossible, the portals are supposed to reject all forms of corruption." Mara blurts out.

Astrid looks back at her and asks, "What do you know about this?"

"The portals were supposed to be a one way link, only people from Thanos can travel to other worlds." Mara says.

Raith looks confused and says, "Who is this child?"

"This is Mara, she's the goddess of the world we come from. If anyone knows about the portals, it's her." You explain.

Upon hearing this, Raith offers Mara a seat and she continues, "The portals weren't perfect though, so we made sure that anyone that came back to Thanos had their memories sealed."

"Why would something like that be necessary?" Priscilla asks.

Mara looks as if she's reliving a painful memory as she says, "Our world was protected by the gods, but if the corruption took root in another world and gained too much strength it could come back and we would be powerless to stop it. Until now, the corruption has needed some kind of vessel to interact with the world. If that vessel had no memories, it would be much harder for the corruption to utilize their energy, and easier for the gods to track and dispose of them."

Hearing her talk like this has you wondering how much of her memory has returned. She might not look like it, but she definitely sounds like the goddess you remember. 

Mara looks around before she continues, "The corruption you all know is very different from what I tried to eradicate all those years ago. Back then, when someone became corrupted it controlled them completely. Normal people became walking monsters and even the gods were at risk of becoming corrupted."

"Is this related to the stories of a disaster that almost destroyed our world?" Priscilla asks.

Mara nods and says, "Yes, one of the gods became corrupted and began manipulating the portals. They made it possible for monsters to inhabit Thanos. The portals were never meant for this though, we only wanted to save our people from a cruel fate."

"And by doing so, you've doomed every world you've linked to." Raith says coldly.

Astrid steps on his foot with her heel and says, "Be civil, our people don't have a great reputation in their world."

Raith scoffs and says, "You're back home now, who cares about their world?"

Astrid looks fierce as she says, "The men you failed to eliminate twice now, are wreaking havoc over there, and they aren't even a fraction as strong as the one who's controlling them. I'm going back to finish this before he comes back here and kills the rest of you."

Mara looks up and says, "Wait, that might work."

"What?" You ask.

"If we could lure Nero to a desolate world like this and then sever the links, he would be trapped." Mara explains.

"So you save your world by sacrificing us?" Astrid says angrily.

Mara shakes her head and says, "No of course not. It doesn't have to be this world and we would have to evacuate everyone before we lured him there. I don't know if we can defeat him. This might be our only choice."

"I see, and you're sure he would be trapped?" Priscilla asks.

Mara nods and says, "Yes, if we cut the links, he wouldn't be able to escape."

Priscilla thinks for a moment and says, "How would we lure him?"

"He wants my power, if Mika and I use enough energy, I'm sure he will come to us." Mara replies.

"Hold on, you're not going to bring that monster here. We'll fight him in Thanos, leave my people out of this." Astrid says.

Raith softly laughs and says, "We're already a part of this, and unless there is a more uninhabited place you can think of, maybe your friend is right. All these years of constantly fighting, there's nothing left here Astrid. It really wouldn't be that difficult to have everyone evacuate."

Astrid sighs and says, "I should have been here, I've been walking around without a care in the world this whole time."

Raith laughs and says, "Sounds like you alright, on your lazy days at least."

Astrid looks irritated and says, "Don't make me tell Celia to melt that nice looking armor of yours."

"Celia's alive? Where is she?" Raith asks.

C.C. glides forward and kneels in front of Raith while saying, "It's good to see you again Master Raith. I'm glad to see you missed me as well."

C.C. smiles as Raith pats her head and says, "No wonder Astrid was able to make it on her own out there. Remind me to reward you later."

C.C. giggles as she gets up and walks back behind Astrid as she chats with Raith. You stop her, trying to take all of this in and C.C. giggles. 

"I guess we haven't been properly introduced, have we? Celia Craven, but the queen used to call me C.C. and the name just stuck." C.C. says with a smile.

"Are you alright? You and Astrid are acting a little... different." You say.

C.C. smiles and says, " Yeah, it's a little weird but in a way, it feels like only yesterday I was lounging around here with the queen. Everything that happened in Thanos seems like a dream now, but don't worry, I'm still me."

"That's good to hear, all of this is so... sudden." You say.

C.C. giggles and says, "Tell me about it."

Your attention is drawn back to Astrid as she says, "I know you're right, but I still don't like it."

"I'm sorry, I never imagined things would turn out this way." Mara says.

"Stop apologizing, that's not going to help. Fine we'll do it your way, what do we need to do?" Astrid says with a sigh.

"Do you have a powerful sealing magic?" Mara asks.

Raith nods and says, "I do, but it drains a considerable amount of energy."

Mara nods and says, "Good. If you can seal this end while I seal the other, the link will be severed."

"He has to stay behind with Nero?" Astrid objects.

Mara nods and says, "I'm sorry, but it's the only way to cut the link. Both ends must be cut at the same time."

Raith waves his hand and says, "It's fine, I'll do it."

"You idiot, you can't fight Nero and seal the portal. You're going to need my help." Astrid says.

Raith softly laughs and says, "I suppose you're right."

"If you're staying, so am I." C.C. says.

"No, you can't help with the seal. There's no point in you dying too." Astrid says.

Before she can protest, Raith says, "I agree. I do not wish to see you die as well Celia."

C.C. tries to hold back her tears as she nods and you put your arm around her shoulder. It's clear their relationship was vastly different here. C.C. is usually the one in charge and Astrid tends to go along with whatever she says, but here, their roles are reversed to the extreme. Her devotion to Astrid makes their inevitable separation too much for her and a tear rolls down her pale cheek.

"How long is it going to take you to get things ready in Thanos?" Astrid asks.

"I don't know, Nero's clones are still out there, they'll be drawn in by the amount of magic we will be giving off." Mara explains.

Astrid thinks for a moment and says, "So we still have to deal with his clones first."

"And start evacuating your people, but if Nero or his clones find out what we're doing, he won't follow us back into the demon world." Mara says.

"Should we take some of them with us when we leave? Do it little by little?" You ask.

Priscilla shakes her head and says, "No, right now the people of Thanos probably think the demons are responsible for Nero's destruction. They're safer here until we can at least secure a place for them to live."

You sigh and say, "Yeah you're right. Maybe I can use this champion thing to my advantage for once, make them listen to reason."

"Perhaps we could arrange a deal with Ardent City." Priscilla suggests.

"Really, you think after everything they would be ok with this?" You ask.

"It's because of their familiarity with the demons that I suggested it. In our short time here, I can tell these demons are nothing like the ones we're used to. I believe the people of Ardent City are the only ones that would be able to pick up on this."

"I hope you're right." You say, doubting it will be that easy.

"Right, well you tie things up on your side and I'll do what I can to prepare here." Raith says as he stands up.

"What do you mean my side?" Astrid asks.

"You're more familiar with that world than any of us here. You need to pave a path for the rest of us before you join me in our final battle." Raith says with a smile.

Astrid scoffs and says, "Fine. Celia, let's get going."

C.C. obediently follows Astrid as she walks out of the room. You are left wondering if this crazy plan will even work, or if Nero will kill all of you. You highly doubt he will leave you alive a second time.

You look around and Raith says, "You seem to have a good relationship with my sister..."

"Mika. Um, yeah I guess I do." You reply.

Raith puts his hand on your shoulder and says, "I have a favor to ask of you. Try to talk some sense into her, there's no need for her to throw her life away. She needs to live for our people."

"You don't need help sealing the portal? I think you might be underestimating how strong Nero really is." You ask.

Raith laughs and says, "I haven't been doing nothing all these years, I'll be fine by myself, but don't let her know I asked you. Her rage is not to be underestimated, there's a reason she was queen of these lands."

You nod and say, "I'll try, but she's pretty stubborn sometimes."

"It's her choice, but she has far more potential to lead our people than anyone I know. Just talk to her, that's all I ask." Raith says before leaving the room.

You sit for a few minutes as the other demons leave and think about how many lives have been ruined by the corruption. You get up and walk back downstairs where Astrid and C.C. are waiting. 

"At least we have a plan now." C.C. says trying to be positive.

"I have to admit, Thanos is a better place for us, I just hate being forced to leave my home behind again." Astrid says as she leads your group out of the castle.

Once outside, you notice the giant portal hanging high in the sky. You were so focused on everything else you hadn't noticed it until now. You make your way back up to the cliff and once at the top, your group stares into the giant portal in the sky.

"So I guess we just jump up there, huh? It's pretty high." You say looking at the hazy, swirling portal.

Astrid smiles as her wings unfurl and she says, "Hold on tight."

C.C. picks up Mara and slowly rises into the air while you and Priscilla each grab one of Astrid's arms. She gently lifts off and then with one powerful thrust of her majestic wings, she propels herself into the air. Even carrying you and Priscilla, Astrid is much faster than C.C. and as she waits, Astrid enjoys the freedom of the skies. When C.C. and Mara catch up, Astrid flies above the portal, taking one last look at her home world before flying inside.


	13. Fragments Of The Past

Once again you stand before the floating sphere, its eerie purple glow bathing the room as you wonder what's on the other side.

"What do you think Priscilla, is it safe to check it out?" You ask.

Priscilla shrugs and says, "I may be a scientist, but I don't have all the answers. I don't recognize the landscape so..."

"Wait a moment." Mara says.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

"Everyone just be silent." Mara says as her eyes begin to glow.

You are unsure what's happening at first, but then the memories of the demon realm return to you. All at once, memories of your arrival, Astrid's display of power, Raith, and the plan come back to you.

"Is that... Did we already go through the portal?" You ask in confusion.

Mara nods and says, "Yes, I've unsealed your memories. I thought if I had tried to explain, you wouldn't have believed me and went back in."

Astrid shrugs and says, "Yeah, probably."

"Let's get going then, I guess." You say.

As you head back to the Valkyria you notice Astrid's horns and wings are intact, although her and C.C.'s clothes have returned to normal. The trip to her home world seems to have unsealed Astrid's magical energy as well. After a short walk across the desolate island, you board the Valkyria and Sid greets you.

"You sure know how to find trouble, don't you? What happened after you went back in there?" Sid asks.

"We found a portal to the demon world. Apparently Nero has been busy over there as well." You say with a sigh.

Sid looks uneasy and says, "Demons... a whole world full of them?"

You shake your head and say, "Not exactly, there aren't that many left, maybe two or three hundred from what I saw."

"That's still a lot more than I'd like." Sid says.

You sigh and say, "Listen, the demons aren't the problem. We're actually going to help them all come to this world."

"What? Why would you do that?" Sid asks.

"I need you to trust me Sid, the demons aren't the enemy we thought they were. I'm going to have to convince a lot of people of that, and I need all the help I can get." You reply.

Sid nods and says, "I still don't understand, but I do trust you. Anyways, where are we headed?"

"Let's go back to Valen for now." You suggest.

Sid agrees and as the ship takes off you make your way to your room. Gwen is sprawled out on the bed fast asleep and you smile as you enter and sit beside her. Gwen yawns and hugs you when she realizes you're back. You return her affection and she rises from bed. You both walk to the lounge where everyone is relaxing.

Physically and mentally exhausted, your group sinks into the comfortable furniture and the ride back to Valen is mostly quiet. The ship docks and you take the lift down into the city. With no real leads, you are forced to wait until more information comes in about Nero.

"We should get some rest. In the morning we can decide what our next move will be." Priscilla says.

"Sounds good to me." You reply.

"What about us?" Astrid says pointing to C.C.

"It's not very big, but I have a couch downstairs." You suggest.

"I have a spare bed as well. It's probably more your size Astrid." Priscilla says.

"I'll go with Mika then." C.C. says excitedly.

Astrid shrugs and says, "Whatever, let's get going. I could use a bath."

"Certainly." Priscilla says leading the way.

You wave goodbye and walk the short distance to your home and open the door. As you take off your armor, C.C. heads to the kitchen and begins rummaging through your fridge. 

"You really don't have to do that C.C." You say.

C.C. smiles and says, "Don't worry about it, this is something I enjoy. Why don't you go get cleaned up and I'll have something tasty whipped up by the time you're done?"

A bath does sound nice about now so you agree and head upstairs. You run the water and take off your clothes before stepping in. The water is hot, but it makes you feel like your troubles are melting away. You relax for a long while before almost nodding off and then quickly wash yourself. You step out and after getting dressed, you head back downstairs. You sit at the table with Gwen and Mara as Kira and C.C. finish preparing the meal.

"Hey it's just about done, you hungry?" C.C. asks.

"Yeah. You know, I could really get used to someone like you being around here all the time." You say with a smile.

C.C. looks back and says, "Aww, if only I didn't have my girls to look after..."

You share a good laugh at the thought of C.C. as a housemaid. A few minutes later, C.C. serves dinner and you stare at the food in awe. You didn't realize food this appetizing could be thrown together from the meager ingredients you had. 

"This is really good!" Mara says after taking a bite.

Kira agrees as C.C. smiles and says, "Thank you. Eat as much as you want, I made plenty."

The meal is wonderful and after stuffing yourself, you talk and laugh about anything other than the impending battle. It's a brief respite, but one that was sorely needed. After a while you feel tired and decide to call it a night.

"I think I'm gonna go to sleep. Thanks for the food, it was great." You say.

"I'll let Gwen bathe with me if that's alright with you." C.C. says.

You nod and say, "Yeah go ahead."

You head upstairs and climb into bed and a short while later C.C. and Gwen come upstairs and get in the tub. Mara and Kira join you in bed after cleaning the dishes a few minutes later. You really are trying to get some sleep, but the faint moaning and suckling sounds echoing from the bathroom are making everyone horny. After a while, C.C. and Gwen walk out of the bathroom naked and quietly giggling. Gwen climbs into bed with you as C.C. heads downstairs. With everything quiet now, it doesn't take long before you fall asleep.

In the morning a delicious smell wakes you up and you rise from bed with a yawn. As you head downstairs, you see C.C. slaving away over a hot stove once again. 

"And you say I'm too polite, did you even sleep?" You jokingly ask.

C.C. gasps and says, "Gods! You scared me half to death, haha!" You apologize and C.C. smiles and says, "I'm fine, and I slept plenty for your information."

As you are about to sit at the table, a loud knock comes from your door. You open it and see Astrid and Priscilla, along with Sid and Ulyena crowded out front. 

"Um, hey what's everybody doing here?" You ask in confusion.

"We needed somewhere to meet up and you five were already in one place." Astrid explains as she walks past you and into your home.

"I thought Sid and Ulyena deserved a proper explanation after everything they've done to help us." Priscilla explains.

"It's ok I don't mind it's just, there's not a lot of space." You reply.

You motion for your friends to enter and Sid says, "Don't worry, we're used to cramped quarters, right Yen?" Ulyena nods and Sid continues, "I appreciate you letting us listen in on what's going on. We'll be outta here in no time."

You bring every chair in your house to the table but Sid, Ulyena, and C.C. have to stand, although C.C. seems happy to float around as you break the ice.

"So I guess no one has heard from Nero yet? I don't know if that's good news or not." You say.

Mara clears her throat and says, "I think I should explain a few things first. More of my memory has returned, and I think it will help you to better understand Nero's power."

"Why did you run away when you saw the portal?" Priscilla asks.

Mara nods and says, "Yes I... apologize for that. Things started coming back to me, terrible memories I wish I could forget."

You glance at Priscilla in concern and then say, "What did you remember?"

Mara sighs and says, "There were once giant monoliths around the world that served as anchors for the links between worlds. When Nero corrupted the goddess, she tampered with them. This brought countless new forms of life for Nero to feed upon and grow stronger, but the monoliths were never intended for that and they became unstable. They took pieces of this world and replaced them with pieces of others, along with their inhabitants. We called it the convergence. "

"Incredible, then this must be the event that almost brought us to extinction?" Priscilla asks.

"The last monolith was altered to bring an entire planet into our dimension. We narrowly escaped complete annihilation that day." Mara replies.

Mara looks down and says, "I'm not sure, but I think I was the one being controlled by Nero... I'm responsible for everything that's happened."

You put your hand on her shoulder and say, "You did the best you could, no one here blames you for anything. We all know how hard you've worked to make things right."

Mara looks to you with tears in her eyes and says, "Thank you Mika. I know it's silly, but hearing that makes me feel better for some reason."

You think for a moment and say, "So, if you were being controlled by Nero back then, how did you break free?"

Mara shakes her head and says, "I... don't know. My memories from then are scrambled worse than the rest."

"You saved the world and then all of these terrible things started happening to you..." Kira says with a sad look on her face.

Mara shakes her head and says, "Not me, my sister. She saved this world, and sacrificed the rest of her divine power to make sure people had some kind of defense against the corruption."

"You have a sister?" You blurt out.

Mara smiles and says, "She died a very long time ago, but I can't even remember her name. I actually had two sisters, but one was taken from us well before her time."

"I'm sorry..." You say.

"I don't remember very much about what I was like back then, but I know she was the reason I was able to keep going all this time. Her smile was infectious and I didn't know a single person that didn't enjoy being around her. Towards the end of her life, she was trying to close the gap between monstergirls and the rest of society. She is the reason so many different species can coexist peacefully." Mara says with a smile.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's something I don't understand. How were the links between worlds made in the first place?" Priscilla asks.

"Even I have only heard stories about them, as far as I can remember. Nine beings with divine power were chosen to scout the cosmos and find the worlds that could become a refuge for our people. They were given special artifacts that contained divine power and years later, they came to be known as the Wanderers." Mara explains.

"Artifacts, like the crystal?" You ask.

Mara smiles and says, "The crystal you used to defeat Iliya was similar, but these were far more powerful. The Wanderers used the artifacts to contain the spell used to link two worlds."

Priscilla thinks for a moment and says, "So if you could create one of these artifacts, you could use it to link to an uninhabited world. Then we could trap Nero there instead of uprooting the demons from their world. Although who knows if there would even be anything left by the time you found an empty world."

Mara shakes her head and says, "Unfortunately, the crystal I made was my best attempt at recreating something I saw during the convergence. Those artifacts were created by several divine beings working together and harnessing more energy than I alone am capable of. Even if I could make something that powerful, it wouldn't work. Gods lose their powers if they leave their home world, that's why we need the artifact, but we also need something else to activate it for us."

"What is it?" Priscilla asks obviously intrigued.

"Life. Gods retain the ability to siphon off small amounts of life energy and after enough has accumulated, the artifact can be used. If there is no life on the planet, then there would be no way to activate the artifact." Mara explains.

Priscilla sighs and says, "I suppose we don't have time for something like that anyway, even so, knowing this will be extremely helpful in my research."

You think for a moment and ask, "Have you remembered anything else about yourself?"

Mara sighs and says, "It's hard to tell now. I have fragments of thousands of years worth of memories, but it's like they're out of sequence."

Astrid sighs and says, "So the plan hasn't changed? We wait for Nero to find us and then somehow get him into the demon world long enough to seal him there? I thought we were going to come up with a better plan."

"I'm sorry Astrid, if there was any other way..." Mara begins.

Astrid cuts her off and says, "C.C. let's go."

"Where are you going?" C.C. asks.

"We're going to have to come up with something good if we're really bringing the demons to Ardent." Astrid says.

"Sooo, we're going to the bar?" C.C. asks.

Astrid grabs her by the arm and says, "We'll be back later."

They walk out the door and Sid says, "Well that was something. All this talk of gods and other worlds, I'm ok right here on Thanos thank you very much. Ahh, I guess we'll get going too then. Come on Lieutenant."

You walk Sid and Ulyena to the door and wave as they leave. Mara walks past you and starts heading down the street looking like she is up to something.

"Where are you going?" You ask.

"I have something to take care of, I shouldn't be too long." Mara says with a smile.

She walks down the street and you wonder if she even knows where she's going. 'She should be alright as long as she stays in the city.' You think to yourself.

"After practically being glued to your hip, now she's going off on her own? What could she be up to?" Priscilla says as she walks outside.

You shrug and say, "I don't know."

"Well, have a good night Mika. I believe I will take the time to pour over my old research. All this new information is sure to bring a few discoveries." Priscilla says with a slight smile.

"Alright then, have fun." You reply.

You smile as you close the door and bump into Kira as you turn around.

"Ow!" Kira says as she rubs her nose.

"Sorry, you leaving too?" You ask.

Kira nods and says, "Yeah, I wanna check in on Vivienne. I'll come back after the shop closes." 

"Alright, tell her I said hi." You say as Kira flies off towards Vivienne's shop.

You let her out and then return to the table. You are alone with Gwen now and for some reason, you miss your friends already. You shake the silly thoughts out of your head and look to Gwen. She smiles and gets up before giving you a kiss on your forehead. She walks upstairs and just before she is out of view, she looks back and seductively motions for you to follow.

Gwen hasn't been this forward in a while and your cock stirs to life at the thought of her waiting for you to please her. You head upstairs and sure enough, Gwen is lying on the bed naked. She holds out her arms, beckoning you to join her and you quickly undress. You climb into bed next to her as she wraps her arms around your neck and kisses you. 

You slowly rub your hands down her back and gently squeeze her ass. Gwen smiles and you begin kissing her neck, slowly making your way down to her breasts. Deep down, you were always a little jealous of how full and perfect they are. Now that you can have your way with them, you take her nipple into your mouth as you playfully knead the other.

Gwen gasps and squirms as you tease her sensitive nipples before kissing your way down past her belly. Gwen opens her legs further as you continue to tease her by kissing and licking her thighs. You get close enough that she can feel your warm breath on her pussy, but you make sure to only lick around it. Gwen's pussy is soaking wet and her juices are dribbling down her ass and pooling on the bed.

You can't hold yourself back any longer and your tongue makes contact with Gwen's clit. Pleasure shoots through Gwen like electricity and you can tell teasing her a little has had a very strong effect. Every flick of your tongue makes Gwen writhe in ecstasy and she can barely contain herself as you lower your mouth over her pussy. 

You gently suck on her clit while your fingers rub around her entrance. You slowly work your fingers deeper inside her as Gwen moans loudly. Working your fingers in rhythm with your mouth, you have Gwen on the edge of climax in only a few minutes. You pull your mouth away from Gwen's slit, leaving a long trail of her juices connecting them, as you lean forward and begin kissing her.

Gwen mashes her tongue against yours as you work your fingers and feel her pussy clench around them. Gwen throws her head back and moans deeply as her pussy squirts her cum onto your hand. You are surprised at how much actually came out, but Gwen interrupts your thought as she pulls you on top of her.

Gwen is breathing heavily and her cheeks are flushed, but her eyes are telling you to keep going. You rub the tip of your cock against her pussy and gently push in. Gwen kisses you deeply as you slowly slide into her velvety inner folds and bottom out. Gwen breaks the kiss as you begin fucking her and you lean back onto your knees. 

Gwen's big breasts bounce with each thrust and her soft moans are driving you mad with pleasure. Her dainty feet rest on your hips until she playfully begins rubbing your nipple with her toes. Without thinking, you move her foot closer and begin licking her feet. You move your tongue between her toes and suck each one as you feel your orgasm approaching quickly.

Gwen seems to like the attention and moves her other foot near your mouth as well. You happily kiss her other foot and then take both big toes into your mouth. You suck on Gwen's toes as you increase your pace until you're ready to cum. As soon she she feels the first warm spurt, Gwen moves back and your cock slips out of her pussy. She quickly slides back down letting your cock rest on her lower belly as she tenderly strokes it and is coated in your cum.

Your orgasm is powerful, more so than usual, and when you are finished, Gwen's breasts and stomach are covered in cum, not to mention the sheets. You couldn't care less though as you lay exhausted next to Gwen. She is still coming down from her own orgasm and holds her breasts as if she might float away. 

You smile and gently nudge her hand away before lightly tracing circles around her nipple with your fingers. Gwen moans and her body shudders as you lean over and take her nipple into your mouth. The taste of your cum is strong, but not in a bad way, and you pay no more attention to it as you enjoy the moment. 

Lying in a pool of your own cum, rubbing it into Gwen's silky flesh as she coos and moans has your cock stirring to life again. You turn her away from you and begin kissing the back of her neck. Still slick with cum, you rub your cock along the length of her pussy and press it against her ass.

Gwen softly moans as she presses back against you and your cock slips inside her. Her ass is so much tighter than her pussy and it grips your cock, almost milking it as your hips slap against Gwen's. You can't seem to get enough and you hold her tightly as you begin fucking her ass. It seems Gwen feels the same as she grabs your hand and locks her fingers with yours. 

Gwen pants and moans as you increase your pace and she closes her eyes, lost in bliss. You drive your cock as deep as it will go, her insides feel so warm and soft it's driving you crazy. More than any of your encounters in Thanos, this is by far the best sex you've had. 

As you absentmindedly thrust into Gwen, your thoughts become hazy and you can only focus on the beautiful girl moaning in front of you. Everything you have done in this world has been for her and as your orgasm builds, you feel something else deep within your chest. It's a warm feeling and as you thrust into Gwen one last time, you cock erupts, shooting your hot cum deep inside Gwen's ass.

Your mind is swirling and in your stupor you blurt out, "I love you..."

Gwen responds by squeezing your hand and wrapping your arm around her as her pussy spasms and her ass clenches around your cock. You lie on the sticky sheets holding each other for a while and trying to catch your breath. Eventually you realize Gwen is asleep and try to slip your cock out of her, but she gently pushes back against you. You press your body against Gwen's as she sighs and puts your arm back around her. Feeling completely satisfied, it doesn't take long before you fall asleep.


	14. Second Arrival

You awaken feeling refreshed and make your way downstairs. You prepare a small meal and after everyone has eaten, you grab your gear and head outside. You make your way towards the airship docks and greet Priscilla, Astrid, and C.C. as they chat.

"Oh hey Mika. We were talking, and Priscilla thinks we should head towards the desert." C.C. says. 

You nod and say, "Yeah that sounds like a good idea, we don't want to endanger anyone else when Nero finds us." 

As your group decides where to go, something catches you eye. Near the market, a few guards are leading a woman through the city. She looks injured, but what's most unusual is the fact that she's completely human. 

"What's going on over there?" You ask already starting to walk towards the girl.

You reach the guards and ask, "Who is this girl? Where did you find her?"

The men look at you for a moment before one of them says, "Ms. Champion, we found this girl wandering around outside of the city. She's injured, so we were taking her to the clinic."

Fearing someone else from your world has ended up here you say, "Alright, I'll take her."

"Are you sure? You don't have to waste your time on some stray, we'll get her there, don't worry." One of the guards says.

You give him an angry look and say, "She's a person not a stray animal, just get out of here."

The guards look surprised at your response but say nothing as they leave her in your care. You help the girl stand and carefully walk her to your home.

"She's human, like you and Gwen! Does that mean she's from your world?" Kira asks.

"I don't know, let's get her healed up first. Can you help her Mara?" You ask as you open the door.

You set the girl down in a chair and Mara begins inspecting her.

"Hmm, I think so." Mara says as her eyes begin to glow.

A soft green light envelops the girl and after a few minutes, she opens her eyes.

"Wh-where am I?" The girl asks wearily.

"Are you alright? What's your name?" You ask.

"Ughh, Mary... My name's Mary." The girl says as she takes a look around the room.

Mary's eyes go wide and a look of terror spreads across her face as she gazes at your companions. 

"Who... What are you people!? Get away from me!" Mary yells as she quickly gets up and backs herself into a corner.

"Hey it's alright, calm down." You say.

Mary's eyes jump from one person to the next and she seems scared to death. Now that you think about it, if Kira hadn't been the first person you saw here, you probably would have acted the same way.

You sigh and say, "Hey, can everyone just give me a few minutes with her."

Your friends agree and walk outside as you sit down at the table and offer Mary a seat.

"No one is going to hurt you, I promise." You say calmly.

Mary seems a little less tense with fewer people in the room and she sits down before saying, "What's going on, where am I?"

You sigh, not knowing where to begin, and say, "You're... from Earth, right?"

Mary looks confused and says, "Well of course, where else would I be from?"

"This isn't going to be easy to understand, but this is a different world. I was brought here just like you and so was my friend." You say.

Mary laughs and says, "I don't know what kind of joke this is, but it isn't funny. I'm leaving."

You sigh and say, "Wait, I can prove it to you." 

You walk to the kitchen and get a glass of water before returning to the table. 

You slide the glass to Mary and say, "Ok, now watch." 

You concentrate, being careful to only use a tiny amount of energy and soon ice crystals begin to form on the outside of the glass as the water freezes over. You cut the flow of magic as Mary's eyes widen and she stares in amazement.

"H-how did you do that?" Mary says meekly.

"It's a long story, but people in this world can use magic, like in the movies." You say.

Over the next hour, you try to explain the situation to Mary as best you can. She is obviously skeptical, but she has no choice but to believe you when your friends return. After taking a few moments to feel Priscilla's scaly skin and C.C.'s leathery wings, Mary concedes and sits on the couch looking overwhelmed.

You take a seat next to her and ask, "Hey, so when the guards found you, you were hurt pretty badly. Do you remember what happened?"

"I don't really know... I just woke up here. I was near a desert so I walked away from it and then..." Mary's voice trials off.

"Then what happened?" You ask.

"I don't know, I can't remember." Mary says with a sad look on her face.

You sigh and say, "It's alright, you're ok now."

Mary looks to you and says, "S-so where are you from, on Earth I mean?"

You smile and say, "I lived in the U.S., what about you?

Mary nods and says, "Yeah, me too."

You can tell she is trying to put on a brave front and you say, "You know, my mother's name is also Mary."

Mary looks down and softly says, "Oh really? Well she's probably a lot prettier than me."

"What? Where did that come from?" You ask in confusion.

Priscilla walks over and says, "Mika we should get going soon. The longer we wait, the more danger we'll be putting the citizens in."

"Alright, did you decide where exactly we're going?" You ask.

Priscilla nods and says, "Yes, I think we should go to Ardent City. Astrid and C.C. could begin easing the population into the idea of more demons being around while we prepare for Nero."

"I thought we were going to stay away from the cities?" You say in confusion.

"Yes, well Astrid has informed me that while the city has been repaired for some time, a decent portion of it is still uninhabited. This will work well for both relocating the demons and mitigating the danger to the townspeople, but I still think once Astrid and C.C. have finished their business we should leave." Priscilla replies.

You nod in agreement and Mary says, "Wait, what about me? Where should I go, what should I do?"

She looks frantic and you sigh and say, "You can come with us if you want, but it's not exactly going to be safe."

Astrid objects and says, "Then why not leave her here? She's only going to get in the way."

"You should know how she feels, being in a completely different world. The only other humans on Thanos are me and Gwen. I can't just leave her here. If nothing else she can keep Gwen company." You say.

Astrid sighs and leans close as she says, "And what if she isn't who she says she is?" 

"What are you talking about?" You ask.

"Isn't it a little convenient she just showed up here? I don't believe for a second that she walked all the way to Valen from the desert on her own." Astrid says quietly.

You look back at Mary, smiling as she seems to be getting used to your companions, before you say, "Maybe Nero did something to the portals again, I don't know... but she knows things about my world, things I've never really talked about with anyone here. Just give her a chance."

Astrid rolls her eyes and walks over to C.C. as you sigh and hope everyone can just get along. You walk back to Mary and explain where you are headed and why. 

She takes it all in and says, "So I can just stay on your airplane then?"

You softly laugh and say, "Yeah, you'll be safe up there."

Mary thinks for a moment and then agrees. You make a few last minute preparations and then head outside. As you walk to the docks, Astrid's words begin eating at you. 

'All this time and Gwen and I were the only one's from Earth to ever make it here, and that was a fluke. Is it really possible for her to have come from Earth? What are the chances she'd turn up here and now?' You think to yourself before looking back at Mary.

She is taking in the sights around the city and seems curious about the townspeople, as anyone from your world would be. Nothing about her actions or reactions seem off to you. You feel bad for her, even you are silently doubting her when she has done nothing wrong.

The elevator at the docks takes your group up to the top floor and you board the Valkyria. You let Sid know Ardent City is the destination and then show Mary around the ship.

"Down there is where the rest of the crew sleeps and the engine room, um, I guess you can stay in Priscilla's room for now." You say.

"Oh, the lizardwoman is Priscilla right?" Mary asks.

You nod and say, "Yeah, I'd offer to let you stay with me, but Gwen and Mara take up most of the bed. Don't worry, Priscilla's very kind."

Mary nods and says, "She seems nice, I'm just glad I don't have to sleep next to that red woman with the horns."

You softly laugh and say, "That's Astrid, she's a little rough around the edges, but she's always had my back. She'll warm up to you, just give it time."

Mary gives a nervous smile and says, "Well, thank you Mika. I really don't know what I would have done without you."

You smile and say, "Don't mention it. We're trying to find a way for us to get back to our own world, so hopefully you won't be stuck here for too long."

Mary smiles and says, "I can't wait. You said it was going to take a while to get where we're going right? I think I'm going to get some sleep."

You nod and say, "Go ahead, I'll let you know when we get there."

You leave Mary in Priscilla's room and head to the lounge where the rest of your companions are. After talking for a while, you learn even Priscilla has her doubts about Mary, but at least she's willing to give her a chance. Astrid is still suspicious of her every move, but you hope she will let it go eventually.

About an hour into the trip, Sid's voice rings out over the intercom, "Attention all hands, there's something wrong with engine two. I'm gonna have to set her down and check it out. Engineering, have a report ready when I arrive."

You make your way up to the bridge and say, "Hey what's going on?"

Sid waves his scaly hand and says, "Ah it's probably nothing, but the ship's computers are saying engine two is malfunctioning."

Sid carefully lands the Valkyria near the entrance to a canyon along the outskirts of the desert and you follow him down to the engine room. A few crewmen are working on one of the engines and talking some kind of technical lingo you don't understand. 

"What happened?" Sid asks as he surveys the engine.

A crewman removes his helmet and says, "I'm sorry sir, I... must have dropped something in the intake."

"What do you mean, you must have?" Sid inquires.

"I-I don't know. I was checking the engines like normal, and then... it's like I blinked and I was already done. I even have all the notes I took when I inspected each engine." The man says while holding out a notebook.

Sid grabs the notebook and looks it over before handing it back to the man. He doesn't say anything, he just rolls up his sleeves and climbs up onto the engine to begin his work. The man looks frustrated and joins Sid in trying to repair the engine.

Despite the odd circumstances, nothing seems wrong so your group heads back to the lounge. You sit down but before anyone can speak, the ship rocks violently and you nearly fall off the couch.

"What the hell was that?" Astrid says as she leads the way outside.

"Mary, stay here with Gwen. We'll find out what's going on." You say as you follow Astrid out the door.

Outside, the moon is high in the sky and the chilly night air nips at your skin as you inspect the ship. There is a huge dent in the lower hull although nothing around is large enough to have caused it. As you get closer, you notice faint traces of dark energy and your eyes follow them into the canyon.

"This is a trap, there's dark energy leading down there." You say as you carefully scan your surroundings.

"I agree, this feels calculated. Everyone keep your guard up." Priscilla says.

Astrid brazenly walks down the path into the canyon as the rocky walls grow taller with each step. Your group follows her cautiously, searching for the source of the malevolent energy. Down here the faint light of the moon is blocked by the tall walls making it difficult to see. As you press on, you see something glint in the darkness and you stop Astrid.

You walk closer and reach out your hand, but before it rises above your waist you feel pressure. You look down and there is some kind of wire strung up between the canyon walls. You press a little harder and it actually begins cutting into your armor. You turn back towards your friends and you can barely make out another wire at an angle, right next to where you just walked. 

Turning back around, you look further into the darkness and see that there are wires strung up all along the trail leading deeper into the canyon. The darkness seems unnatural and even when you focus, you can't see past it. Astrid walks up and tests out a wire with her bare finger, producing a small amount of blood.

She licks the blood from her finger and says, "Is this really supposed to stop us?"

Astrid smiles and puts her hands together as her newly restored energy begins swirling around them. She slowly separates her hands and between them, a sword of pure black energy is formed. Astrid grabs the hilt and seems pleased as she takes a few test swings. Her attention turns to the wires and she slashes down hard, severing a few of them. 

Strangely, both ends of the wires remain suspended in the air. You draw your sword and push one of the severed wires aside with the blade. It gives way but also makes an irritating scratching noise as it grinds against the metal.

"This is going to take all night." Astrid complains as she cuts a few more wires and moves deeper into the razor thin web.

You are right behind Astrid and as she raises her blade of energy once again, she suddenly stops mid swing. It looks like she is frozen in time except parts of her twitch and strain. She quickly swings her sword backward, but you are so close she hits you with her elbow and knocks you over. You look into Astrid's eyes and see a frightened expression, something that is so unnatural for her it actually scares you a little. 

"I-it'sss... not, m-me!" Astrid manages to yell.

Her sword crashes into the ground and you barely roll out of the way, the razor wires eating into your armor as they catch you. You know how deadly Astrid's blade can be and also how easily it could cut though your sword. She moves erratically and without her usual finesse, but it seems like she is resisting with everything she has. 

Your group keeps away from Astrid and her slow movements suddenly stop and she turns around. She takes a few steps further into the canyon and then begins walking faster. Fearing she is being lead into the wires, you and C.C. rush to her aid while Priscilla holds Mara close and scans the area for any signs of Nero.

Astrid is only a few feet away now but as she continues walking deeper into the canyon, she steps on something and it causes an explosion of magical energy. All three of you are thrown to the ground and you cough as you help C.C. back up. 

Astrid is struggling to get to her feet and although she is cut up and blackened by the blast, she's still in one piece. You don't know how to help her, but you notice something deep in the darkness beyond the mess of wires. It has to be one of the clones, and it seems this one can control other people. 

Suddenly Mara runs to your side and says, "I can help her, but she'll attack before I can reach her."

"Leave it to me." You say as the two of you advance towards Astrid.

She notices you and raises her blade as you channel a small amount of energy into your arms. She swings down but you catch her arm and quickly grab the other. The deadlock only lasts a few seconds but against her new strength, you're still struggling. Mara quickly runs out from behind you and touches Astrid's leg for a moment as her eyes begin to glow.

Astrid snaps back to herself and releases her blade causing it to disappear. As you sigh in relief, Astrid clenches her fist and then charges toward the figure lurking deeper inside. You sigh again because you knew she would react like that, and you rush to her aid before anything else happens.

Astrid is using her increased agility to weave her way through the wires faster than you can keep up. The canyon bends around to the left and just before it turns, stands a man in a golden mask. Astrid tears through the last of the wires as they cut into her skin and you race to her side.

"How did you break my control?" The clone asks in frustration.

Astrid responds by tackling him to the ground with a sickening thud. Her bare fists slam into the golden mask as the clone's limbs struggle in vain beneath her. Astrid relents for a moment and places her hands on each side of the clone's head.

"I'm going to ask you some questions and the first time I don't like your answer, I'm going to kill you, understand?" Astrid says as she leans down closer to the battered clone. "Who are you?"

His mask, twisted into a snarl with teeth grit, conceals his expression but from his tone you assume he is smiling as he says, "I am the third."

Astrid digs her claws into his flesh and says, "Good, now what the hell are you doing here?"

Third ignores her and snaps his head toward you. You suddenly feel very heavy and to your horror, your arm moves on its own and draws your sword. Astrid immediately releases her energy and Third thrashes around violently as you regain control over your body. After a few moments, Third lies motionless and Astrid gets up and dusts herself off.

You sense something around the bend in the canyon and say, "I don't think he was alone."

Your group carefully makes its way around the corner but are met only with more darkness. Hesitant about walking into another trap, you stare into the darkness for a moment until you hear footsteps. Another clone calmly walks forward and unenthusiastically claps his hands twice.

"Well done, I thought it would take you longer to make it here." He says without emotion.

You see his mask's apathetic expression and recognize him as Second. He seemed uninterested in you the first time you met, but now he stands alone and ready to fight.

"You're the one that ate Fourth, right?" Astrid asks as she clenches her fists.

"I was merely reclaiming the energy Nero had given to him." Second replies.

Astrid scoffs and says, "Thought so."

Astrid charges in but before she gets close, tendrils of dark energy burst out of Second's back and ensnare her. Rendered immobile, Astrid watches helplessly as Second reaches out toward you. You grab Mara's hand and try to run, but more tendrils emerge and tear her from your hands before binding you.

C.C. tries to avoid them by taking to the skies, but the tendrils seem to have no limit as they shoot out and grab her by the ankle. She is slowly pulled back down as she tries to struggle in vain. Priscilla manages to dodge and gets close to Astrid but when she attacks the tendrils, her dagger shatters. Before she can regain her footing, her limbs are restrained and she is brought to her knees alongside Astrid. 

Second calmly walks forward, seemingly unhindered by the myriad of tendrils coming out of his back. He comes to a stop a few feet away and watches your group's reactions as he makes the tendrils constrict even tighter. 

Struggling against the pressure wrapped around your throat you manage to say, "Why are... you doing t-this?"

Second turns toward you and walks closer before replying, "By my hand or his, all of you will meet your end." He looks around at your friends as they struggle against their bindings before he continues, "You were a curiosity, but I suppose you have reached your limit. I will deliver your energy and he will have to be satisfied with that."

Second stands up and raises his arms as the tendrils increase the pressure around your neck. From the look on everyone else's faces, they are in the same condition. Your mind races as you struggle to breathe and suddenly you have an idea. Mara was able to completely reverse the effects of Megumi's pollen by altering it's frequency, maybe you can do something similar. 

You begin to concentrate but when you try to match Second's frequency, you are overcome with intense pain. It feels like needles are poking into every pore on your body and it makes it even more difficult to focus. You finally match his frequency but when you release your energy, Second snaps his head toward you.

He lowers his arms and cocks his head as you continue feeding your energy into the tendrils. You feel them loosen slightly, but Second releases a massive pulse of energy and the tendrils become tighter than before.

"Does this feel familiar? Fourth was a fool for relying on his ability so you might not have felt it in full." Second says as he walks closer.

He lets out another pulse of energy and the tendrils force your group face first into the dirt as he says, "Third used all of his energy to take control of others, and was quite vulnerable as I'm sure you're aware, but his power still pales in comparison to mine."

Another pulse of energy, dwarfed only by Nero's ungodly presence, erupts around Second as he says, "How far can you push yourself human?"

You are having a hard time hearing his words as you desperately try to stay synced with his energy. The momentary relief before he began demonstrating his power proved it's possible to fight back, but only if you can surpass his overwhelming amount of energy. You feel a familiar sensation surging through your body as your energy skyrockets and you are enveloped in an aura of white fire.

The aura makes the pain a little more bearable and allows you to release even more energy into the tendril around your neck. It loosens enough that you can now breathe, but you know your friends are still in danger and won't last much longer. Second raises his hand toward you and the tendrils squeeze until your armor begins to creak. Strangely, the one around your neck doesn't move at all and so you try to focus on the others.

As he slowly loses control over the tendrils binding you, Second backs away and says, "This is... I see. That was his plan all along, very well then."

Just as you are able to stand, Second releases his power in full and the tendrils force you back down to your knees. The white fire aura isn't enough anymore but there is something else. The massive amount of divine energy Mara accidentally gave to you is finally going to be useful. 

You look up toward Second with anger in your eyes and focus on the tendrils as you let your energy flow into them. You feel the pain intensifying as the seconds turn to minutes, but one by one, you gain control over the tendrils. You grab a tendril in each hand and close your eyes as your energy slowly overpowers Second's.

You begin to realize the other tendrils that were wrapped around you react whenever you give them energy. It's difficult to do both at once, but you manage to make the tendrils move as you command, although not as effectively as Second can. 

His control is weakening and you see your friends still straining to get free. You let your energy flow unrestricted and it drives Second to his knees. You feel your energy flowing along all of the tendrils, but you also feel lightheaded. You drop to your knees but manage to keep your grip as you take full control of Second's tendrils. 

You feel blood dripping from your nose as you make the final push and overwhelm Second. One by one you release your friends from bondage and encircle Second with his own weapon. The tendrils coil around Second's entire body and hold him in place as the rest straighten out and impale him. 

Despite his normally calm demeanor, you get the feeling Second is smiling as he says, "I'm certain he will enjoy devouring you much more than that child."

You have heard enough and you have the tendrils constrict until they begin twisting in on themselves. You cut the flow of energy and immediately feel woozy as your power fades, but you manage to stay on your feet. The tendrils go limp and fall to the ground with a thud. The gory mess between them doesn't even resemble a human shape anymore.


	15. Bitter Reality

You wipe the blood from your nose and try to stand. Your muscles feel like jelly but Priscilla helps you to your feet.

"I think we should leave before any more show up." Priscilla says.

You nod and reply, "Yeah, I need to rest."

You carefully make your way back through the web of razor wires and enter the Valkyria.

"Oh my gosh, what happened?" Mary says as she helps Priscilla bring you to your room.

"I'm alright, just a little banged up." You reassure her.

You lay down and take a deep breath before saying, "Thanks, I'll be fine."

Priscilla nods and says, "I'll go let Sid know we've returned."

Priscilla leaves the room and a few minutes later you feel the ship take off. You manage to get a little sleep, but Ardent City wasn't that far away and Astrid comes to wake you up a short time later.

"Hey wake up already, we're here." Astrid says.

You crawl out of bed, still groggy but feeling slightly better. 

"What's up?" You ask as Astrid blocks the doorway.

She leans in close and says, "I think your little friend might have had something to do with our engine problem earlier."

You sigh and say, "What has she done to make you so suspicious of her?"

Astrid looks angry and says, "I saw her coming from below deck right before we went down. And what about Second and Third? You think they just happened to be waiting right where we landed?"

She has a point, you can't deny that, but the fact remains that Mary hasn't done anything worthy of suspicion. 

"I-I don't know, she was here with Gwen and Kira while we were fighting and nothing happened." You say.

Astrid scoffs and says, "Yeah because she probably expected us to die down there."

You sigh and say, "I understand what you're saying, and I'll try to keep my eyes open, but can you try to give her a break?"

Astrid rolls her eyes and moves out of the way as she says, "Whatever, don't come crying to me if something happens."

As you follow Astrid to the lounge, Mara passes by and grabs your hand. She leads you into Priscilla's room and closes the door.

"What's wrong?" You ask.

Mara looks up at you but says nothing as she places her small hands on your thighs. You feel her energy building but she suddenly looks sad and her energy wanes.

"I can't do it anymore..." Mara says meekly.

"Do what?" You ask.

"I can't take my power back from you anymore. It's changed too much." Mara replies.

You hear a knock at the door and open it to see Mary.

"Um, I left my jacket in here. Can I grab it?" Mary asks.

You nod and let her in before continuing your conversation.

You think for a moment before saying, "So that's it then? I can't go back to my world now?"

Mara shakes her head and says, "No, it's still possible but you have to be extremely careful. Your energy is already beginning to merge with the divine energy. I can try to put a seal on you, but you won't be able to use magic..."

You stop her and say, "Then don't do it. Nero is still out there and we might need this power."

"Mika... I can seal him away like we planned. There can't be very many of his clones left, I'm sure we can handle the rest on our own. This is our world, let us protect it." Mara says.

"This might not be my home, but I have friends here and I won't sit by while they fight someone like Nero. I have this power and so I should use it to help put an end to this." You reply.

Mary finds her jacket on the floor and as she's leaving she turns to you and says, "I, um, I just wanted to say thank you Mika. I don't really understand why you can't go back with us, but I know Gwen is just as grateful that you're doing all of this so that we can still go home." 

You nod and then turn to Mara and say, "See? I have to keep going, there's really no other choice now."

Mara looks like she is holding back tears as she nods and then walks past you into the hallway. You sigh and walk up to the bridge where your friends are waiting.

"So what happened with the engine?" You ask.

Sid shrugs and says, "Somebody dropped a wrench into the intake. Chewed through quite a few expensive parts before the sensors kicked in and I shut it off. We'll get it taken care of in no time though, Ardent is really the perfect place for repairs with all these skilled machinists in town."

"That's a relief, the last thing we need is to be stuck on foot." You say.

Astrid grabs C.C.'s hand and says, "We're going to the bar, see you later."

"Hey hold up, why don't we all go?" You suggest.

Astrid shrugs and says, "Fine, whatever."

You take Gwen and follow your group down into the city. It's midday and the sun is beating down as usual making it terribly hot. The climate of Ardent and the surrounding desert has never been your favorite but at least the buildings stay nice and cool on the inside. You walk into the tavern and take a seat in the corner near your friends. After ordering a round of drinks, the conversation shifts to a more serious note.

"So Astrid, what was your plan to convince the people here to let the demons stay?" You ask.

Astrid sighs and says, "I was thinking about bringing the rest of our stym, but I don't even know if it will grow here."

"What's stym?" You ask.

"Hey that's a great idea! Stym is a really nutritious root that grows in our world. I think it would grow just fine out here in the desert, and it tastes good too." C.C. says with a smile.

Priscilla thinks for a moment and says, "Being able to provide more food for the city would be a generous offer, but will it be enough?"

Astrid shrugs and says, "I guess we could always force them."

You shake your head and say, "No, you don't want them to think you're another Iliya. It has to be their decision, but maybe I can try to help convince them."

"Yeah, it just pisses me off that we have such a shitty reputation here because of her." Astrid says before taking a long drink. She sighs and says, "I am gonna miss this ale on the other side though."

The realization that Astrid will soon be gone, trapped in the demon world with her brother and Nero, sets in quickly and the table goes quiet. You still haven't talked to her like Raith asked, but do you even have the right? If you were in her shoes you would do the same, but still, a part of you doesn't want her to go.

"What the hell? Don't get all gloomy now, I already told you, this is what I want." Astrid says without a hint of remorse.

Mara wipes a tear from her eye and says, "I'm so sorry, I should be the one fighting Nero, but instead all I can do is seal him away."

"And I told you to stop apologizing. It doesn't do anyone any good. Do something about it if you're sorry." Astrid says coldly.

Mara nods and says, "I will, I promise to make things right, no matter what."

"Yeah, you'd better." Astrid quietly says under her breath.

"Wow, so you're like, super strong then Mara?" Mary asks.

Mara shakes her head and says, "This body can't handle my energy very well, so I can only use my powers for a short time. I'm afraid everyone here is more powerful than me right now."

Mary hugs Mara and says, "Aww, well next time you can keep me company ok?"

Mara smiles and you softly laugh as Mary nearly chokes on what you assume to be her first taste of ale. Time passes and although the sun has just set, the previous battle took it's toll on you and you begin to feel tired. 

"I think I'm gonna head back to the ship." You say with a yawn.

Astrid nods and says, "I'm gonna go talk to the mayor and see if he likes the idea of a new food source. I don't think I'll tell him the rest just yet though. I'll catch up with you later."

Priscilla stands up and says, "I want to get a few things from one of the local shops. I have an idea for something that might prove to Astrid that Mary is who she says she is."

You wave as they leave and then say, "Are the rest of you going with me back to the ship then?"

C.C. nods and says, "Yup I guess so. Hold on, I'll pay our tab."

You wait for C.C. outside and a few minutes later she glides out with a smile.

"What took so long?" You ask.

"Astrid really put a dent in the liquor cabinet on the ship so I asked the owner if he could restock it for me." C.C. says with a wink.

You laugh as you make your way back to the docks and take the lift up. Once inside the Valkyria, you head to your room and throw yourself onto the bed. Gwen isn't far behind and soon you drift off to sleep. 

An explosion knocks you off the bed and as you get up off the floor you see Astrid run down the hall. Smoke is billowing down the hallway and after making sure Gwen is alright, you notice Mara isn't in your room. You walk out and see that a huge circular hole has been opened in the side of the ship at the end of the hallway.

"What happened?" You ask.

Priscilla walks over and rubs her head while saying, "I finished a device that would allow me to check Mary's circuits. She agreed to let me use it, but when I got close... It was as if I blinked and Mary was gone, then I heard the explosion."

Fear begins to set in as you replay your interactions with Mary over and over in your head. 'Nothing seemed off, but was she just acting? No, she knew too much about Earth, but then again she was taking an interest in Mara.' You think as you take another look outside.

Astrid is standing near the edge and as you peer into the desert night she says, "Somehow, I told you so doesn't feel as satisfying when there's a big hole in the side of our fucking ship."

Ignoring her remark, you reply, "Have you seen Mara?"

"I think Mary had her under her arm when she ran outside." Astrid says.

Dread sets in as you leap through the hole and land on the docks below. 'Damn! How could I have been so stupid!' You think to yourself as you scan the surroundings for Mara. Your friends aren't far behind and as they land on the docks next to you, you hear a voice.

"There you are Mika, I wanted to thank you before I left." A familiar voice says from above.

You look up and see Mary smiling as Mara struggles under her arm. 

"Mary, what are you doing? Are you really one of them?" You ask, trying to buy time to think of a way to rescue Mara.

Mary cocks her head to the side and smiles. Suddenly, black slime begins to pour from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Her haunting visage and eerie smile scare the hell out of you, but you can't back down. The slime begins changing color and soon Mary's face is covered in a smiling golden mask as her flesh turns black.

The thick goo splashes onto the metal floor as she runs her hands over her body and says, "What's wrong Mika? Should I have taken your mother's form as well?"

Angry at being deceived by her you respond, "I don't care what you look like, I'm going to kill you."

Nero slowly walks forward from behind Mary and says, "Is that so? That's a tall order, considering you've lost your goddess."

Nero holds out his hand and Mary hands Mara over to him. He takes Mara by the throat and holds her up as her small feet hang over the edge of the platform. 

"No, stop!" You scream, but it's too late.

Nero drives his other hand straight through Mara's chest and blood pours from the little girl's body. She spasms and weakly resists, but after a few moments, her body goes limp. Nero scoffs and tosses her corpse over the edge and you rush to catch her. Just before she hits your arms, her body bursts into several golden spheres that quickly fly off into the night sky.

Nero smiles as you cling to Mara's bloody dress, the only remnant of her left. Tears stream down your cheeks as you scream and realize all hope is lost now. Rage and regret cloud your mind as you look back up at Nero, but no words come to mind. 

"I've wasted enough time with you people. First, finish them off and bring me their energy." Nero says with a wave of his hand.

You look toward Mary as you stand, ready to tear her to pieces, but instead she turns around and walks away with Nero. The docks begin to shake as Nero opens a portal and leaves with Mary in tow. 

"Come back here you bitch! I'll kill you!" You scream, though they pay no attention to your cries.

The shaking becomes more intense until a massive hand reaches up and grabs the platform. From the black flesh, you realize this must be First, but he is obviously different than the rest of the clones. Another massive hand grabs onto the platform and as First pulls himself up, you get a good look at him. He is easily over ten feet tall and his oversized muscles bulge and strain under his skin.

His mask is contorted into what you assume is a roar, full of malice. First stands up and towers over your group as Astrid summons her blade of energy. She charges in and stabs behind First's knee, but he reaches down much too quickly for someone of his size and grabs Astrid. He raises his arm and then throws Astrid into a nearby airship, causing her to break through the hull. 

The airship rocks violently and one of the support beams snaps in half, causing the ship to tilt and hang precariously above the city. C.C. releases a wave of black fire towards First as she races to help Astrid, but the potent magic does little to slow him down. Priscilla scales the metal framework behind him and leaps in for a sneak attack, but First ducks down, causing her to pass over him. Unable to change direction in mid air, Priscilla can only watch as First's gigantic fist slams into her and she is sent flying off the platform. 

'Is this it? After everything, this is how it ends? I've failed Mara, the only thing I can do now is...' You think to yourself as broken pieces of the dock fall onto the city below. You feel the divine energy boiling inside you and look back towards the Valkyria. Even from this distance, with your powers you can clearly see Gwen, Sid, and Ulyena watching fearfully from the bridge. 

You look back towards First and feel a strange emptiness as you think, 'If I'm going to die, then I'll spend my last moments fighting to protect you... I'm sorry Gwen.' You begin walking towards First as you let your energy flow into your entire body. Once again the divine energy floods your body with pain, but your determination keeps your pace steady.

Still busy fighting Astrid and C.C., First doesn't see you approach. You raise you fist and slam it into First's leg, causing him to fall to his knees. You are surprised at your strength, but quickly back away as First returns to his feet. He roars and charges you, swinging his fists wildly.

You flood your arms with energy and try to block as the gigantic hands begin to pummel you. His fist is almost as tall as you are and his speed is unnatural for something of his size, which makes it hard to keep up. You take a glancing blow and lose your footing on the smooth metal flooring. You fall onto your back and before you can get up, First punches right through the metal floor.

You take the full impact and fall about twenty feet to the floor below, crashing through a market stall. Your ears are ringing and it hurts to breathe, but you get to your feet as First tears through the floor above and lands in front of you. He lets out a guttural roar and quickly closes the distance between you.

First swipes his massive arm at you, sending you crashing into a metal beam. You know you were hit pretty hard, but strangely you feel almost nothing as you return to your feet. The anger, fear, and even the pain of your battered body is gone, replaced by a peaceful, calming feeling. 

First raises his fist and slams it down with all his might. You dodge and as he pulls his arm from the gaping hole he created, you place both hands on his hulking forearm. You release your energy and a bright white beam of energy pierces First's arm, severing it as he reels backward in pain.

First snaps his head toward you and lunges forward, grabbing you in his remaining hand. He gets to his feet as his arm begins to regrow and he brings you up to his golden face before roaring at you. His size and apparent rage make it deafening, even behind the mask. First begins squeezing and you feel your armor cracking, but even in the face of death, you don't feel scared.

Instead, you feel something deep inside, like a well of untapped power. You feel your bones breaking, but still no pain as you close your eyes and focus all your attention on this strange energy. You feel it rapidly increase and a warmth spreads from your chest to the rest of your body as the energy envelops you. You open your eyes and time has seemingly slowed.

As you peer into the dark, empty eyes of First, you get brief flashes of people screaming, being tortured and ultimately killed. For a moment, you wonder if this is all he is capable of thinking about, but in the end it doesn't matter. You take a deep breath and feel your energy building very quickly. You release it all at once and a bright white light envelops your body. First's hand disintegrates when your energy touches it and you slowly descend to the ground below as First roars in pain.

As First reaches out to grab you again, you raise your hands and release your energy all around you. A bright white sphere appears around you and again, First's flesh disintegrates as it makes contact. His momentum caused more than half his arm to be melted away by your barrier, but he isn't dead yet.

First slowly backs away as his arms regrow and you decide to see how much power you really have. You walk towards First while increasing your energy, but then the pain returns in full. You fall to your knees and your barrier disappears as First roars again. The pain is so intense you can't even look up at First as he is without a doubt preparing to crush you.

You scream as your body pulses with energy and the pain skyrockets, but it also appears to have affected First as he takes a step back. Your body is trembling and you don't know how much longer you can stay conscious. First roars again and you scream as a final pulse of energy comes from your chest and makes the pain unbearable. The last thing you see is a bright white light enveloping the entire area.


	16. A Gift From The Goddess

You open your eyes and see a lavishly decorated room. You sit up and recognize this as C.C.'s brothel and you get out of bed. You walk over to the mirror trying to check yourself for injuries, but are shocked by what you see. Your hair has changed from jet black to a brilliant white, so bright it almost looks as if it's glowing. Your eyes have also turned a deep blue color, not unlike Mara's.

You stumble backwards unsure if it's actually you staring back at yourself in the mirror. As your mind races to recall what happened during the battle against First, you become aware of people moving around in other parts of the brothel. It's like you can sense their individual energy and can almost see what they're doing. Amid the sensory overload, the door slowly opens.

Priscilla stands speechless for a moment before walking over and hugging you. You can feel the genuine affection Priscilla has for you and your mind begins to clear. You hug her back, realizing you have gone past the point of no return. Even if you can somehow defeat Nero, you can never return to your own world now. Against your will, tears begin welling up in your eyes and you softly cry into her shoulder.

After a few minutes, you wipe your tears and say, "Thanks, I really needed that."

Priscilla smiles and says, "Don't worry about it."

You can sense your friends down below in the brothel and ask, "So everyone is alright? What happened?"

Priscilla sighs and says, "Yes, everyone is alright. You've been unconscious for two days and honestly, we didn't know what to think. Your power engulfed the entire area, but when the light faded, we were all fine and First was gone. You were unconscious when we found you, and you looked like this, so we brought you here."

"Where's Nero?" You ask.

Priscilla put her hand on your shoulder and says, "Relax, we haven't seen him since he left with Mary, or whatever number she is."

You cringe at the mention of her name and think, 'She must have used my own memories to build that fake persona. If I had only listened to Astrid, maybe Mara would still be...'

Priscilla snaps you back to reality as she says, "There have been reports of tremors and smoke coming from beyond the northern mountains."

"It has to be them, no one else would be way up there." You think aloud.

Suddenly you feel a familiar presence appear outside. Your eyes widen and you quickly take Priscilla by the hand and lead her into the hall. You make your way downstairs and ignore your friends as they greet you. You make it to the front door just as someone knocks lightly. Upon opening the door you begin to cry as you reach out and hug Mara.

She stands tall, her normal form has been restored somehow, and she tenderly hugs you back as your companions stand speechless. Mara ushers you inside and C.C. leads everyone into an empty room away from customers. 

Mara waits until everyone has gathered around and then she says, "I imagine you all have questions, and with my memory finally restored, I'll do my best to answer them all."

Everyone speaks at once and Mara giggles as she says, "Alright, let me address Mika first, since her situation is more... unique." 

Mara looks at you and says, "Mika, I'm sure you're aware, but you have awakened your divinity. The power inside you is no longer my own. I won't be able to reverse this change."

Of course you wanted to go back home at some point, but until now, you hadn't really cared how long it would take. Now that it's no longer a possibility you feel sad, but you don't regret your choice. 'Nothing's free, but hopefully I can at least still help Gwen get out of here.' You think to yourself.

You look at Mara and say, "Yeah, I figured I went too far when I saw my hair."

Mara smiles and says, "If it bothers you, you can change it to any color you like."

You hadn't thought of that and close your eyes to focus. You can't see, but some how you know when your hair and eyes have returned to their normal hue.

"That's so cool Mika, make it red now!" Kira cheers.

You softly laugh and then look back toward Mara and ask, "How are you still alive? We thought Nero killed you."

"Remember when I left your home by myself? I was afraid Nero would be targeting me, so I created a new body. It took almost all of my power to create this and I had to rest for a few days to let my energy recover, but I am back to my normal self." Mara says happily.

"Why didn't you say anything?" You ask.

"It was supposed to be a back up plan, I didn't think I would need it so soon. That's why I had to rest after I transferred into this body, it wasn't ready yet. Everything worked out quite well though, this body will allow me to use all of my powers." Mara says looking over her body.

She is exactly like you remember her: in her late twenties, the long golden blonde hair, her beautiful slightly transparent white dress, and her piercing blue eyes. Not to mention her silky smooth pale skin and her ample, DD cup breasts straining against the thin fabric of her dress.

Mara stands up and says, "I was unable to properly thank you all for helping Mika defeat Iliya, and now I must thank you again for helping me in my time of need. You all deserve a reward and so, Astrid, will you please come forward?"

Astrid is hesitant and walks over to Mara not knowing what to expect. Mara places her hands on Astrid's shoulders and you feel Astrid's energy changing somehow. Mara lowers her hands and Astrid looks like she's trying to figure out what just happened.

"I've changed the way your body draws in energy..." Mara begins.

"What the hell did you do that for!?" Astrid yells.

Mara softly laughs and says, "You were using energy from this world, meaning you could never fight at full strength. I've allowed you to draw energy from your home world as well."

Astrid thinks for a moment and says, "So, now I'll be stronger?"

Mara nods and says, "Yes, noticeably so. I understand that I have caused you a great deal of hardship, and so I hope this small gift can help repair our relationship."

Astrid struggles to find the right words until she finally says, "T-thanks, I guess."

You make sure not to smile until Astrid has walked past you as Mara says, "C.C., can you come over here?"

C.C. glides over to Mara and excitedly says, "So this is the real you huh? You're really sexy!"

Mara softly laughs and hugs C.C. for a long few moments. She backs away and C.C. begins feeling around her neck and shoulders.

"Can you feel the difference? I've given you the power to control your lust." Mara says.

C.C. cocks her head and says, "Wait, what?"

Mara giggles and says, "Don't worry, you can still use anytime you wish, and it will be much more concentrated since it's not constantly radiating off of you. This way people will learn to appreciate the real C.C., and not just what your pheromones make them see."

C.C.'s eyes well up and she hugs Mara while burying her face between her breasts. Mara smiles and pats her head as the succubus thanks her over and over again. After pulling herself together, C.C. glides off happily as Mara looks toward Priscilla.

"I'm afraid I didn't quite know what to give you Priscilla, is there anything you desire? I could grant you knowledge of the gods, or perhaps a tome of all known alchemical recipes? Mara suggests.

Priscilla thinks for a moment and then says, "Hmm, that's tempting, but then again finding the answers yourself is half the fun. I think I'll pass, however, studying a goddess would be an acceptable trade."

Mara smiles and says, "I believe that can be arranged."

Priscilla smiles and Kira buzzes past her and says, "Ohh, do me next!"

Mara giggles and says, "Alright then. I want you to transform for me."

Kira glides off the table and transforms into her archer form with a puff of smoke. She pulls down the bandanna from her face and for the first time, she also pulls down her hood. Surprisingly, she has short, light blonde hair with pointed ears and you assume she based her whole transformation off of Vivienne.

"I haven't really had to use this for a while, I've been trying to make my magic stronger instead." Kira says with a hint of embarrassment.

Mara smiles and says, "I know you've been struggling with your role in all of this, but I want you to know if it wasn't for you, Mika could have very easily ended up like Gwen or worse. Despite your lack of power, you've consistently shown your loyalty and nothing but pure kindness."

Mara reaches out and places her hands on Kira's shoulders and a soft white glow envelops them. The dingy brown cloak along with the rest of Kira's clothes begin to glow as they change shape. Her normal, short blue dress is revealed and her ears return to their normal shape as her blonde hair turns light blue and lengthens to her shoulders. Light begins to shimmer behind Kira and a pair of fairy wings appears from her back. 

Kira is now a little shorter than you and she looks at her body as she says, "What is this, another transformation?"

"This is your true form now, you can still go back to being fairy sized if you need to, but this way your spells will be much more powerful. The best part is you can stay in this form for as long as you like, even if you run out of energy." Mara explains.

Kira hugs Mara and says, "Thank you, thank you so much! I promise I'll get really strong and help even more!" 

Unaccustomed to her new stature, Kira jumps and when she flutters her wings, she flies up and hits her head on the ceiling.

Everyone has a good laugh as Kira rubs her head and says, " Oww! I gotta get used to flying all over again."

"And last but certainly not least..." Mara says as she takes Gwen's hand and has her stand up.

She places her hands on either side of Gwen's head and closes her eyes as you hold your breath in anticipation. Mara says something under her breath and after a few moments, she lowers her hands. Gwen blinks and stares at Mara for a few seconds, but it feels like an eternity for you.

"W-well?" You ask hesitantly.

Mara turns to you and smiles as Gwen says, "M-Mika, I... I don't even know what to say, I..."

You run over and throw your arms around Gwen and she breaks down. She clings to you and sobs uncontrollably and you both fall to your knees. You can't control your emotions and you begin crying while asking if she's alright.

After a few minutes, Astrid says, "Alright, you're both fine, just stop crying already."

You laugh and wipe your tears as you help Gwen stand.

"We'll catch up later, ok?" You whisper to Gwen.

She nods and wipes her tears before giving you a quick kiss. You return her affection and then take a seat as Mara sighs.

"That was beautiful, but I'm afraid there's more to discuss." Mara says.

"You finally remember who you are?" You ask, hoping to finally hear the whole story.

Mara nods and says, "A very long time ago, I was the goddess Yona. Together with my sister goddess Eris, we protected this world from the corruption. The other gods taught us to fight the corruption, but no matter what we did, it grew beyond our control and eventually Eris and I were the only divine beings left."

Mara pauses for a moment and then continues, "I don't remember exactly when, but I became corrupted and I... killed my sister Eris and took her place. I was being manipulated by the corruption, although now I know it was Nero. He made me alter the monoliths and caused the convergence. Around this time, there were two kingdoms, Gracia in the desert where Ardent City now stands, and Alissi near the eastern ocean, where Cyldell would eventually be built. In a small village near Alissi, there was another woman named Amelia that would eventually become a part of me."

"What? What do you mean?" You ask in confusion.

Mara sighs and says, "I am the result of two goddesses merging together. I am both and yet neither."

"You're two, separate people... merged together?" You repeat trying to understand how that is even possible.

Mara nods and continues, "Yes I... I mean, Amelia had two sisters named Rose and Evelyn. During the convergence, Evelyn was killed and Amelia was corrupted. Yona and Amelia traveled around the world causing more monoliths to activate until the balance was so unstable, they were able to summon another world to collide with our own."

Priscilla thinks for a moment and says, "Then your sister Rose is the one that you spoke of before?"

Mara nods and says, "Yes, Rose never gave up and while I was bringing ruin to the world, she awakened her own divinity. She saved Amelia from that darkness and even managed to kill Yona, but she lost her life that day. Seeing Rose give her life awakened Amelia's divinity and she used a special artifact called the soul crystal. There were several divine artifacts back then, like the crystal I created only much more powerful, and they merged together to form the soul crystal. The soul crystal had the power to stop the convergence, but due to the destruction I caused while corrupted, I was mortally wounded before I could use it."

Mara takes a deep breath and continues, "The queens of Alissi and Gracia each gave half of their life force to use the soul crystal and disaster was averted. It also brought Rose and Yona back to life, although Yona was now free from the corruption. Amelia hadn't died yet though, so she was untouched by the crystal's effects. She was bleeding out but there was still time to save her, so Yona took Amelia to her palace where she discovered that the corruption hadn't been fully eradicated inside her. The only way to save Amelia would be to sacrifice her own life, so Yona merged her divine energy with Amelia's, in repentance for failing her divine responsibilities and becoming corrupted. I have both of their memories, as well as my own. I believe that is why it was so difficult to regain my memory."

You are speechless. You knew this world must have had a rough patch, but from what Mara says, the situation has only been getting worse for hundreds of years. Now Nero, the very embodiment of what Mara has been fighting her entire life, is causing chaos and destroying everything she has worked so hard to protect. 

You wonder how she must have felt, living for so long and watching everyone around her grow old and die while she had to continue fighting alone. Suddenly, her outburst about you being her only real friend makes a lot more sense. From her own words, you know Amelia didn't get to have a normal life. It's no wonder Mara has grown so attached to you, you're the only other person in the world that can understand what she has been through.

Priscilla speaks up and says, "I'm curious, how was Iliya able to overpower a goddess?"

Mara looks ashamed and says, "I was still learning my limits and I pushed myself too far. I needed a place to rest without being disturbed and so I created a special chamber for myself on the island. Unfortunately, I chose a poor location, as an unfinished monolith was beneath the structure I was in. While I was still asleep, my power must have resonated with the unstable portal and caused it to activate. From our journey to the demon world, I learned it was a part of Astrid's castle that fell from the sky that fateful day. My chamber was broken and I was in a vulnerable state when Iliya found me. She wasted no time and imprisoned me with large chains. I should have been able to break free, but the chains seemed to drain my divine energy."

"So that's what you meant when you said you've caused me problems, huh?Anyway, that spell sounds like Astratta." Astrid chimes in.

"Like what?" You ask.

"Astratta. It's a sealing magic unique to demons, but only the royal bloodline should be able to use that technique." Astrid explains.

"I see, perhaps Nero was able to utilize this ability even if Iliya herself couldn't." Mara suggests.

The conversation dies down and Mara says, "I think Mika could use some time to... think about things. How about we leave her be for a while?" 

C.C. glances toward Gwen and says, "Yeah ok, how about we go to the bar and celebrate?"

Mara smiles and says, "If you'd be willing to pay, I'd like to try an ale. It's been a few thousand years since I've had one."

Astrid laughs and says, "That's way too long, no wonder you're so uptight."

"Drinks are on me then!" C.C. cheers as she leads your friends out of the room.

It's just you and Gwen now, and you look over to her with a smile. There are so many things you want to ask her, but before you can think of what to say, Gwen breaks the ice.

"I don't know how I can thank you Mika... Nothing I do will ever..." Gwen says.

You hug her and say, "You don't have to do anything. I'm just, so glad that you're alright."

Gwen looks up with tears in her eyes and says, "It was awful, it's like I was trapped in my own body, I couldn't talk even if I tried. But no matter how I felt, I knew it was nothing when I saw how much pain you've been in. You almost died trying to rescue me and you've been injured who knows how many times. I'm so sorry, all of this is my fault, I..."

You interrupt her by planting a tender kiss on her lips. You don't know how things are going to turn out, but you feel like you need to get this off of your chest.

"Gwen I... I love you." Your cheeks burn with embarrassment as you continue, "Every single sacrifice I've had to make to get to this moment, I'd make them all again in a heartbeat. I want you to be safe and live a happy, peaceful life more than anything, and if that means I can't go with you, then that's just another sacrifice I'll happily make."

Gwen smiles as tears stream down her cheeks and she says, "I... love you too."

Gwen kisses you passionately and you spend a few minutes holding each other until you break the hug.

"Mika, I don't want to be a burden to you, but I don't want to leave if you're not coming with me." Gwen says.

As much as it kills you, you say, "Gwen, you have to go back. Your family and everyone else are waiting for you back home..." 

Gwen looks angry and says, "I'm not leaving without you. I have a say in this too you know. You can't just say you love me and then tell me I have to leave, it's not fair."

You sigh and let your appearance revert to it's natural state. Gwen gasps as your hair turns bright white and your eyes turn blue. Seeing it happen again, you notice your skin also gets a little lighter. 

"W-what happened to you?" Gwen ask fearfully.

"When we first came here, Mara gave me some of her energy and that's how I was able to rescue you, but I lost my powers after that. Then while we were chasing Nero and his clones, Mara was able to reawakened my energy. I ended up relying on it too much, and now I'm... a goddess. I don't really know what that means yet, but I can't go back. I want to, more than anything, but I can't anymore." You explain.

Gwen looks at you for a moment and says, "Does it hurt?"

You laugh and reply, "No, I feel really strong and I can sense things from far away too."

Gwen smiles and says, "That's good, I don't know about your new look though. You look like an anime villain or something."

You share a good laugh, something that was sorely needed to lighten the mood. Taking her advice, you focus and change your hair back to black and your eyes to green.

"There you are." Gwen says as she wraps her arms around your neck. She look into your eyes and says, "You know, I could see and hear everything this whole time, like when we were in bed, and you said you loved me."

Your cheeks burn and you take a step back and reply, "I, um, I'm sorry about that. Sometimes I was just so stressed and you would come onto me and I couldn't resist..."

Gwen smiles and leans in close as she says, "When you said that to me, I came, and even though I couldn't say it back, I wanted to tell you I loved you too."

You cock stirs as the words leave her mouth. You've never heard her talk like this before and it sends a shiver down your spine. You get embarrassed for a moment when you realize Gwen knows you have a cock, but it passes when she steps closer and wraps her arms around your waist. 

Gwen looks up and after planting a kiss on your lips she says, "I'd like to try that again, for real this time."

You smile and take Gwen's hand and lead her back upstairs to the room you woke up in. You close the door and lock it before turning around and see Gwen leaning against the bed while she takes off her shoes.

"Well come on, get naked already." Gwen giggles.

She pulls her shirt over her head and you quickly remove your armor. 

You disrobe and Gwen stares at your cock before she says, "I don't know how you got it, but don't worry, I... I kind of like it."

Your cock twitches and you step closer and take Gwen into your arms. You look into her eyes and feel something you can only describe as pure love. You kiss her deeply as you slowly make your way to the bed. Gwen kisses your neck and you close your eyes as she makes her way down to your breasts. She tenderly licks and sucks your nipple making you moan as her hand slides down your belly and grabs your cock.

She gets down on her knees and spreads your legs enough so she can fit between them. Gwen leans in and plants a kiss on the tip of your dick before taking the head into her mouth. You feel her tongue swirling around the head and you softly moan as you lean back on your elbows.

Gwen starts lowering her head and as more of your cock disappears down her throat, she makes slurping noises and looks up to you for acknowledgment. There are no words to describe the pleasure you feel, but your expression lets Gwen know you are enjoying yourself. The fact that it's really her and not the other, more dimwitted version makes this much more satisfying, even though it was apparently her the entire time.

You're on the edge and every time her tongue flicks across the head of your cock you think you're going to cum. Gwen notices you're close and slowly lifts her head off of your cock with a wet slurp. She leans down and presses her lips against your clit and as she plants kiss after kiss while slowly stroking your cock, you finally cum. 

Your cock erupts and shoots cum into the air as Gwen looks up and smiles. It gets everywhere, the bed, your breasts, and even in Gwen's hair, but she just smiles and continues licking your clit. She licks from your ass all the way up your cock and giggles when it sprays one final thick rope of cum onto her face.

You pull her onto the bed next to you and lean over to kiss her. She looks so cute with your cum on her face you can't resist, and begin licking your cum from her soft cheek. Gwen smiles as you clean her and when you're finished, she pulls you in and kisses you deeply. Cum dances between your tongue and hers as your cock becomes hard again.

Gwen softly moans and says, "Put it inside Mika, I want to feel it for myself."

You respond with a kiss and begin rubbing your cock against Gwen's soaking wet pussy. She's wet enough for you to slide right in and horny enough that she pulls you in with one motion. Gwen gasps at the sudden intrusion but quickly reveals a smile. 

You've had sex plenty of times here in Thanos, but this time is different. It's something special between you and the one person you care about more than anyone else. From the look on Gwen's face, she feels the same way as she moans in delight.

You cum hard and fill Gwen's womb with your warm seed, but as tired as you feel, you don't want it to be over just yet. Hours pass and you're pretty sure anyone passing by outside would be able to hear the moaning and wet slapping noises coming from your house, but you couldn't care less. Eventually, you are too exhausted to even hold yourself up anymore and you lie down next to Gwen.

You breathe heavily as Gwen stares into your eyes and says, "I don't care if I can't go back home. I just want to stay with you, forever."

You smile and give her a quick kiss on her forehead before saying, "That... would make me happy."

You fall asleep some time later, still lying on the cum soaked sheets.


	17. Exodus

In the morning, you wake up when you feel Mara's energy enter the brothel. This new ability will definitely be useful, but you wish you could turn it off sometimes. You climb out of bed and wake Gwen before getting in the tub. Last night's adventure is still plastered all over your body and as you step in, Gwen joins you.

After cleaning up, you and Gwen head downstairs where you see your friends are gathered around Mara. She is sitting on a couch holding her head with both hands.

"What's wrong?" You ask, fearing something has happened while you were with Gwen.

Mara looks up and quietly says, "It seems even goddesses can get hangovers, you should remember that Mika, oohhh."

You softly laugh and say, "I'll keep that in mind."

C.C. calls out that breakfast is ready and everyone moves into the dining room. As usual, she has prepared a buffet that could probably feed half the city. After eating, Mara seems to be doing better and you smile, trying to imagine her getting drunk.

A few of C.C.'s girls come in to clean up and as Priscilla finishes her drink she says, "We should discuss our options with Mika."

"What, did something change?" You ask.

"Priscilla brought up a good point last night, Mary knows exactly what we were planning and has no doubt told Nero everything by now." Mara explains.

You sigh and say, "Yeah I guess you right, so now what?"

"I may have an idea, but it would be very dangerous." Mara replies.

"More than our first plan?" You ask jokingly.

Mara nods and says, "Yes, I believe I can trap Nero in my own divine realm, but since he knows we are going to seal him away, we will have to trick him."

"Your divine realm? What's that?" You ask.

"It is a space created entirely from my own energy, isolated from the other worlds. I brought you there once, when you were fighting Iliya." Mara explains.

You think back and say, "That empty white room? Do you think that will work?"

Mara shakes her head and says, "I'm not sure, but I believe it's our best chance. Now that Nero knows our plan, he will most likely leave a part of himself behind before entering the demon world. If a part of him remains outside the seal, he would be able to escape given enough time, but when he transitions between worlds he will be vulnerable."

"So we still need to get him into the demon world?" You ask.

Mara nods and replies, "Yes, but I will also need some time to gather enough energy to fully contain him. Instead of simply leading him in and then cutting the links, you will need to buy as much time as you can. It will be difficult, but we will need to split into two groups to accomplish this."

Mara looks to you and says, "Mika, I will need you to go to the demon world with Astrid and stall Nero for as long as you can."

"How am I supposed to do that? Aren't I going to be powerless over there now?" You ask.

"Normally yes, but while we were there, I sensed Raith is similar to divine beings from this world. I believe he can unseal your powers like I have done for Astrid. While we were talking last night, Astrid said she believes that if she works together with her brother, they will be able to temporarily restrain Nero using their Astratta seal." Mara explains.

You nod and say, "Alright, but why just us?"

"Astrid needs to help Raith perform the seal and you are the only one capable of facing Nero other than me. I will need to remain here in Thanos and accumulate energy. While I am gathering energy, the rest of you will need to protect me and destroy whatever remains of Nero after he has entered the demon world." Mara says looking around the room at your companions.

Astrid seems frustrated and says, "I don't get why you're making this so complicated. Going back and forth like this doesn't make any sense."

Mara sighs and says, "Let me try to explain, every world connected to Thanos has a link leading back here, but this world is special because it has several. In the demon world for example, Nero could open a portal back to Thanos, but here, he would be able to open a portal to anywhere and it would be impossible to cut every link before he escaped. However, even Nero has limits, like only being able to use one portal at a time. If our timing is perfect, we should be able to begin sealing him before he has a chance to fully enter this world."

You think for a moment and say, "I thought Nero wasn't able to travel between worlds?"

Mara sighs and says, "I don't think he can fully transition between worlds. He was able to enter the demon realm, but I believe it was due to the unfinished state of the monolith beneath the island. It's likely that instead of opening a portal to another world, he would instead travel to one of the anchors. Even with an airship we would be at a severe disadvantage if we had to chase him all over Thanos, and that's assuming we were strong enough to keep pushing him back."

She's right, this is way more dangerous and the entire plan hinges on you being able to hold Nero off on your own. You don't like the idea of leaving your friends behind to fight without you, but as you look around the room, you realize you have to trust them just as much as they're trusting you.

Mara looks around the room and says, "I understand that facing someone as powerful as Nero is a daunting task, and so if any of you wish to decline, know that I will not hold it against you."

Astrid laughs and says, "No chance in hell I'm missing this fight."

"Yeah, we're all in this together!" C.C. and Kira cheer.

"It certainly sounds dangerous, but nothing ventured, nothing gained I suppose." Priscilla says with a smile.

Mara bows her head and says, "I am truly blessed to have friends like you... It makes everything that I've done seem like it hasn't been in vain."

"Of course it hasn't. We're going to stop Nero, I promise." You say reassuringly.

Mara looks to you and smiles, but says nothing. 

"So if we aren't trapping Nero in the demon world, do we still need to bring the demons to Thanos?" You ask, thinking aloud.

Astrid steps forward and says, "Raith said there's hardly any food or water left over there. They wouldn't last very long on their own, so I still want to bring them back with us."

You nod and say, "Alright then, how about you stay here and tell the mayor we're coming back with guests."

"What, why me?" Astrid complains.

"You already told him about the stym right? He should be more open to the idea since they won't be coming empty handed." You explain.

Astrid sighs heavily and says, "Fine, I'll make him see things my way."

Astrid walks outside before you can say anything else and all you can do now is hope the mayor doesn't rile her up even more. 

"Let's head back to the island, we shouldn't waste anymore time." You say as you rise from the table.

You lead your group to the docks and take the lift to the top floor. After entering the Valkyria, you make your way to the bridge and explain the new plan to Sid.

"So this is really happening huh? I'll be respectful, but you'll have to forgive me if I want to keep an eye on them." Sid says.

"That's fine, just remember that they have nothing to do with Iliya or Nero." You reply.

Sid nods and says, "I'll keep that in mind."

The ship lifts off and as you make your way down to the lounge, Mara stops you in the hallway.

"Mika, I think we should speak privately." Mara says as she takes your hand.

She leads you out onto the deck and as the wind races through your hair you ask, "What's going on?"

"I thought you would like to know how to use your powers." Mara says with a warm smile.

You nod and say, "Yeah, I guess that would help since I don't even know what I'm capable of now."

Mara nods and says, "Well first things first, you need to understand that your body has undergone a dramatic change. Divine energy has completely overtaken every cell in your body, meaning that it will be much easier to control the concentration and distribution of energy. Creating a weapon or even armor for yourself should be trivial now, why don't you give it a try, but first you should return to your natural form." 

You nod and let your hair and eyes take on their godly appearance as Mara says, "It will be easier if you're not restraining yourself. For now get used to your powers and in time you will be able to hold your appearance while using your power."

You close your eyes and concentrate, feeling your energy build up until it feels like it's overflowing.

"Take it slow, we don't want to bring the ship down." Mara says with a smile.

You hold your hand out in front of you and see bright white energy swirling around it. Unlike before, now you can feel exactly how much energy you are releasing and a perfect sphere begins to form in your palm. You realize that you can change it's shape quite easily, and almost as if it was responding to your thoughts, the sphere begins to lengthen. It extends well past your hand and takes the shape of a katana, very similar to the one hanging from your waist.

You grasp the handle and the blade of energy is immediately enveloped in an aura of white fire. After taking a few test swings, you release the handle and the sword immediately dissipates. 'Guess I don't have to worry about dropping my sword anymore, but I should probably get better at this so I can do it quickly if I need to.' You think to yourself, almost forgetting Mara was watching you.

After a few more tries, you feel confident enough in this ability so you ask, "You said I could also change my armor?"

Mara nods and says, "Yes, although it's not a change so much as a manifestation."

"Um... What?" You ask in confusion.

Mara smiles and says, "You could use your powers to change your current armor into whatever you'd like, but it would be inferior to something made completely out of your divine energy. You should remove your armor and then try."

You agree and quickly take off your armor, setting it inside the hallway so it doesn't slide off the deck. In your underwear now, the wind rushing by is making you very cold, but you focus your mind soon feel the energy building up again. This time you feel the energy flowing differently, almost like it's coming out of your pores. You feel something at your feet and notice black fabric appearing from nowhere as it slides over your feet and rises up your legs. 

The fabric encases your whole body and stops just under your chin before shrinking down to fit you perfectly. It's tight, but not uncomfortable at all and as you look at your newly gloved hands, you feel another sensation all over your body. Bright white lights appear on your arms, legs and torso and slowly grow in intensity before fading away. As they disappear, you see shining white armor in their place. It looks much more extravagant than your previous suit, with its golden trim and plates so bright they're hard to look at.

"This is... incredible." You say as you marvel at your creation.

"Yes, and quite beautiful too, but I must warn you that even with this, you won't be immune to Nero's attacks." Mara says.

You nod and say, "Yeah, I didn't think it would be that easy, but still, this will make things more manageable."

Mara smiles and says, "I feel guilty about it, but I'm so proud of you Mika. I know I've placed a horrible burden on your shoulders, but you've still grown into such a strong and caring person."

You feel yourself blush as you say, "I'm not really upset about it anymore. In my world I would have been a nobody, but here, I can actually make a difference and help people. I'm ready to become a goddess and after we defeat Nero, we can help undo all the damage he's caused."

Mara hugs you tightly for a few moments and when she finally backs away, you see a tear in her eye.

"Yes, I'd like that very much." Mara says as she wipes away her tears.

You think for a moment and ask, "So besides fighting the corruption, what do goddesses do?"

Mara softly laughs and says, "We can choose to do whatever we wish. In the past, when there were more of us, we would take on specific roles. It made it easier to govern since we were only in charge of one or two tasks."

"What kinds of roles?" You ask.

"Well, Eris was the goddess of life and she was responsible for ensuring the souls of the dead would cycle back into existence. I, or should I say Yona, was the goddess of death and her task was ushering the recently deceased into the afterlife to await rebirth." Mara explains.

You realize that for a god, a 'simple task' is really more like a full time job that never ends. 

"So, life and death... are there any others?" You ask.

Mara giggles and says, "Of course, but as I said, it's up to you. If you think your powers will be more useful if you take a certain role, then strive to do your best. That is all any of us have ever done."

You nod and ask, "Ok, I think I get it, but can you show me how to use more of my powers?"

Mara shakes her head and says, "Unfortunately I can't. Divine energy is unique even among the gods. Our powers vary wildly, which is why we must choose our role and define our powers on our own. Creating a weapon and armor are simple applications of divine energy that every god is capable of, but beyond that, only you will know your limits."

You nod, trying to take it all in. From what she's saying, it seems like you should be able to stand up to Nero now, although you get the feeling that she's not telling you everything. After everything she's done for you though, you don't want to push her, so you decide to let her keep her secret.

After a while, you and Mara go back inside and you take your old armor and set it in your room. You return to the lounge and your new look immediately draws the room's attention.

"Wow that's bright! Where did you get that?" C.C. asks while shielding her eyes.

"I... made it. Mara showed me how." You reply.

"That's so cool! I wish I could do that!" Kira says as she inspects one of your gauntlets.

You can't help but smile, but as you look around the room you see Gwen staring at you in disbelief.

You walk over to her and ask, "You ok?"

Gwen nods and says, "Yeah it's just... you look like a completely different person."

You smile and say, "I'm still me, nothing is going to change that."

Gwen smiles and says, "I know, I'm just worried about you, that's all."

You must have been training with Mara longer than you thought because Sid announces over the intercom that the island is up ahead. Luckily, you remembered that this new divine armor would disappear when you entered the demon world, so you head to your room and change into your regular clothes. You say goodbye to Gwen and head up to the bridge as the ship begins to slow down. 

A few minutes later, the Valkyria lands near the ruined fortress and you lead the way outside. As you head towards the tunnel leading down into the factory, you begin to realize it's too crowded to accommodate the number of people it will soon need to.

"Hey Priscilla, could you and Kira clear some of this debris?" You ask.

Priscilla nods and says, "I was just thinking the same thing. We'll take care of it, you just get them through the portal."

"I'll stay and help as well, I wouldn't be much use over there anyway." Mara says with a smile.

You lead C.C. down the tunnel and into the small room containing the portal. You look at each other and nod as you leap through and exit into the demon world once more. Thankfully, you land on the same cliff as before and avoid the long fall down. You can already feel the difference in your power just in the few seconds you've been here. You feel frail, and begin to wonder if this is how you always felt before coming to Thanos.

"Here let me help you." C.C. says as she glides behind you and lifts you into the air.

"Wow, you're a lot stronger over here huh?" You ask, slightly amazed at how little effort she's using to carry you.

C.C. giggles and sets you down as she says, "Yup, and I think I look even sexier too, don't I?"

C.C. twirls around and you let out a soft laugh. You make your way to the demonic castle and are met by two guards out front.

"Hold, oh it's you Lady Celia, please come in." One of the guards says as the other opens the doors for you.

You head towards the back of the palace and find Raith in the throne room.

"Hail, I assume you bring news of Nero?" Raith asks.

You sigh and say, "Well, things have changed."

Raith raises an eyebrow and says, "How so?"

"One of Nero's clones was able to take on a human form, and she learned of our plan before she betrayed us." You say trying to explain things quickly.

Raith nods and says, "I see, then we must devise a new strategy."

"Actually we already did. The plan is basically the same except our fight here will be a diversion. When we retreat, Nero will follow us and be vulnerable when he's crossing back over to Thanos. Mara said she will be able to seal him if we can buy her enough time." You explain.

Raith thinks for a moment and says, "If Astrid and I both use Astratta, I'm sure we could bind him, but I don't know how long we can keep him there. Are you certain you can fight against him alone?"

"Actually, Mara said she thinks you will be able to unseal my powers so I can use them here. If you can do that, then I can hold up my end of the deal." You say.

Raith nods and walks over to you before raising his hand and placing it on top of your head. You see the energy around him becoming visible as he concentrates and releases it into you. It feels like all of your power is rushing into you all at once. You take a deep breath and feel a familiar sensation as your divine armor appears over your clothes.

"I see, then you are akin to myself. Your powers will not activate unless given permission by someone of equal status from this world, correct?" Raith asks as he looks at your armor.

"I... Y-Yeah, exactly." You say trying to not seem ignorant of your own power.

Raith nods and says, "Give me some time to place the evacuation order. It shouldn't take too long to gather everyone once I make the announcement."

Raith turns to leave and then asks, "Have you, spoken to Astrid yet?"

You shake your head and say, "I'm sorry, but she's really determined to do this."

Raith softly laughs and says, "I expected nothing less. Please wait here while I make the announcement."

Raith leaves the room and a few minutes later two demons enter the room and serve you and C.C. drinks. You thank them as they leave and wait patiently for the demons to assemble in the castle. 

About an hour later, Raith enters the room and says, "Alright, some of them openly disobeyed my orders and wish to stay, but the rest are ready to depart."

"They do realize that Nero will probably kill them before they can even get close, right?" You ask.

Raith nods and says, "Yes, but they feel the same as I do. This is our home and no matter the threat, we will protect it."

You sigh and say, "Alright, I'll make sure that they get somewhere safe, I promise. Astrid is already preparing the city for our arrival."

Raith puts his hand on your shoulder and says, "I am placing the fate of my people in your hands, I do not make such decisions on a whim. Your commitment to standing against Nero speaks volumes about your wish for our people to live alongside one another."

"Don't worry Master Raith, we'll take care of everything." C.C. says.

Raith pats her head and says, "I know you will. You should get going now, I will begin preparing things here."

You nod and make your way back to the entrance. The demons have gathered out front and move aside as you walk through the crowd. You turn around to face the demons and see there are a few hundred of them. They look tough, hardened by the constant fighting they've endured, but there's also a certain sadness about them. Having lost your own home world, you know exactly how they feel.

"Alright, listen up everyone!" You say trying to get their attention.

The demons look to you as you say, "My name is Mika, I'm going to take you all through the portal and from there we will go to a city. My ship isn't big enough for everyone though, so we'll have to make a few trips. For now, I can probably take about fifty, but once we get to Ardent, we can clear out some room and get more on the next run."

The demons look concerned and talk amongst themselves as you sigh and think, 'Great, now they think I'm inept.'

Trying to alleviate their concerns, you say, "I know it's not ideal and the trip will be cramped, but it's all we could do with such short notice. I promise you will all get there, but for now, can you choose who will be going this time?"

After a few minutes of talking, some of the demons begin walking forward and separating themselves from the larger group.

A demon woman approaches you carrying a very young child and says, "May I send my child ahead?"

You start to feel bad for her and say, "I don't want to separate anyone from their family. We can divide the groups like that if you want, that way none of you will be alone."

She smiles and says, "Thank you."

A few minutes later, the demons seem to be a little more trusting of you and the first group is ready to go.

"My ship is pretty fast, so as soon as we get things sorted out in Ardent City, I'll be back for another group." You say.

One of the demons steps forward and says, "We'll split into groups while you're gone. That should make things easier next time."

You thank him and lead the demons up the small path leading to the top of the cliff. You look up at the giant swirling portal in the sky and then back to the demons following behind you.

"When we cross over, we'll be underground. Just follow me and I'll take you to the ship." You say.

A few of the demons nod and you turn back to the portal. You leap high into the air and enter the portal as the demons follow your lead. The dimly lit room quickly fills as the demons take their first steps into Thanos. You lead them up through the factory and see that the tunnel has been cleared. As you exit into the daylight, you hear Kira greeting you.

"Hey you're back!" Kira says happily.

It's still a little odd seeing her walking around at full size, but she acts as if she's still small, accidentally bumping into a few demons and then apologizing profusely. You smile as you lead the way back to the Valkyria and help everyone onboard. You squeeze your way through the crowded interior and make your way to the bridge.

"Damn, I never thought I'd see this many demons in my life. I really hope they're as peaceful as you say." Sid says nervously.

"They are, and you should probably keep stuff like that to yourself when Astrid gets back, she wasn't in a great mood when we left." You say jokingly.

Sid nods and says, "Thanks for the advice, that woman scares the hell out of me."

You head down to the lounge and see Gwen sitting near C.C. at the bar. 

You take a seat next to her and say, "It's exciting, isn't it?"

Gwen nods and says, "Yeah, I know these people didn't have anything to do with Iliya, but it's still a little scary seeing this many of them in one place."

You're glad Gwen isn't holding a grudge against them, although she's never been that kind of person. You feel the magicore engines start up and try to get to know a few of the demons on the short trip. About two hours later, the ship's engines cut out and you can see Ardent City from the window. You make your way outside after the ship has docked and see Astrid waiting with a fat elven man.

Astrid has her arms folded and looks even more pissed than when you left. You assume the man standing next to her is the mayor of Ardent from his finely tailored clothes and his proud posture.

"Welcome, I am the mayor of Ardent City. My name is Marthuum, but please just call me mayor, haha!" The husky elf says as he laughs at his own joke.

"Um, yeah... ok, I'm Mika and..." You begin.

Astrid walks forward and pushes the mayor out of her way, making him stumble and nearly fall off the platform.

"Hey be careful!" You say helping the mayor back to his feet.

As he stands, he lightly squeezes your ass, but when you say something he brushes it off with laughter.

Astrid ignores you and the mayor as she spreads her wings and says, "Listen up! This is your new home, take the lift over there and the people down below will show you to the empty section of the city. Get moving, there's still a lot more of you, so the faster you're off the ship the faster we can go back for the rest."

The demons exit the ship, seemingly content with following her orders once again, and after they've cleared out, your group begins stripping the Valkyria of anything nonessential. Astrid and C.C. help Priscilla remove all the beds except for one while Mara uses her magic to move the large crates of supplies out of the cargo hold. You and Kira quickly strip the crew quarters and afterwards, you think you will be able to get the rest of the demons in another two trips.

You head up to the bridge and say, "Hey Sid, can you tell the crew to stay behind too?"

Sid nods and says, "Yeah if that's what you want, but I think we should at least bring Ulyena and a few engineers, just in case."

You agree and Sid gives the order over the intercom. A few minutes later, the ship takes off again and you walk over to Astrid.

"So everything went alright with the mayor I guess?" You ask.

Astrid gives you a dirty look and says, "Don't fuck with me right now, ughh! I wanna kill that fat piece of shit!"

You assume he was just as 'hands on' as he was with you and from Astrid's seething rage, you assume she let him feel her up, or maybe more? You decide it's best not to push the issue and get a little rest on the way back.

With the added space, the next two trips are packed even tighter, but as the moon hangs high in the sky, the Valkyria docks in Ardent with the last group of refugees. Astrid guides them to the lift and you take a look at the city below, now buzzing with people. You really hope things will work out for them here, but you know you have to deal with Nero first.

"Hey wanna put the crew cabins back together?" Kira asks.

"Yeah sure." You reply.

Mara speaks up and says, "Actually, since we're leaving the supplies here for the demons, I'll have plenty of space. I could use my magic to get it done much quicker and you two could fix the bedrooms."

"Yeah, one bed isn't gonna cut it tonight." You say with a smile.

Soon the crew quarters and bedrooms are ready for use again and you throw yourself onto the mattress. Today was tiring, but also exciting. The feeling is hard to describe, but it's almost like you have a much larger family now and it makes you happy for some reason. 

"Hey mind if I come in?" Gwen says.

You smile and hold out your arms. Gwen happily joins you in bed and you lay there for a while, holding her and feeling her soft heartbeat against your chest. You fall asleep soon after, with your arms still lovingly wrapped around Gwen.


	18. Eternal Darkness

You awaken to a feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach. This is it, the day you will come face to face with Nero once again. You can sense that the rest of your companions have returned so you make your way to the lounge.

"I didn't want to wake you by having the ship take off so I told Sid to wait, I figured you would need all the rest you could get." Priscilla says.

"Thanks." You reply trying to mentally prepare yourself.

"I'll let him know we're ready to leave now." Priscilla says.

The ship roars to life and as it takes off, you watch Ardent City disappear into the horizon. You make your way up to the bridge to go over the plan one last time. 

"So after you piss him off, we're gonna haul ass and hope he chases us all the way to the island?" Sid asks sarcastically.

Mara shakes her head and says, "Well no, I'm afraid that even with your special engines, Nero would easily be able to catch up and destroy the ship. Instead, I will open a portal that will take us all directly to the island."

"Oh yeah, I forgot you can do stuff like that too!" Kira says excitedly.

Mara smiles and says, "Yes, but taking all of us at once will use quite a bit of energy, which is why I will need to recharge before I attempt to seal Nero."

You think for a moment and ask, "If that's the case, how long do I need to stall him for?"

Mara looks around the room and then says, "About ten minutes, but the more time you can buy the better."

'Fuck. Ten minutes might as well be an eternity.' You think to yourself.

"I'm sorry, I know it's a lot to ask." Mara says meekly.

"I see, and how can we guarantee Nero will follow Mika into the demon world?" Priscilla asks.

Mara smiles and says, "Actually, you will be responsible for that. If I amplify your illusion magic, you should be able to convince Nero that all of us went into the portal."

Priscilla thinks for a moment and then says, "And by the time he realizes we're not there, Astrid and Raith will use their sealing magic."

"Exactly, as long as everything goes according to plan, we should have a few minutes before he finds us and opens a portal to the island. That is when we will make the switch." Mara explains.

"Sounds like it's gonna be over by the time we get there." Sid says with a hint of relief.

"If all goes well, then yes, you should arrive well after the fighting has ended." Mara replies.

"And if not?" Sid asks.

"Well, I..." Mara begins.

"Then you're gonna have to step up Sid." You reply.

"W-What?" Sid stammers.

"If anything goes wrong we're probably going to die, which means it's up to you to try to save as many people as you can." You say bluntly.

"I... I understand. You can count on me, on all of us." Sid says.

You nod and then two slender arms wrap themselves around your waist. 

Gwen hugs you tightly and says, "I'd tell you to be careful, but that's pretty stupid considering what you're about to do."

You sigh and turn to her before saying, "Gwen, I... I don't know what's gonna happen..."

Gwen cuts you off and says, "Well I do, you're gonna go kick this guy's ass like all the others and then you're coming back to me, understand?"

You smile and say, "Yeah, you're right."

A short while later, High Rock Mountain comes into view but something is wrong. The clouds surrounding the mountain are much darker than usual and they're swirling around it as if propelled by some unseen force. The closer the ship gets, the stronger the winds become until Sid begins having trouble keeping it steady. 

"I don't know how much longer we can keep this up." Sid says as he struggles to maintain control.

"Can you drop us off at the peak?" You ask.

"I think so, but are you gonna be alright out there?" Sid responds.

You nod and say, "Yeah, just drop us off and then get out of here."

Sid nods and Gwen holds your hand tightly as the ship gains altitude. A few tense minutes later, the Valkyria finally reaches the peak and lands near the wreckage of Hakon's home. You turn to Gwen and give her one final kiss before you lead your group out of the ship.

As soon as you step outside, the intense winds and bitter cold relentlessly batter your body. The Valkyria lifts off and heads back down the mountain as Mara's eyes begin to glow. She creates a small barrier around your group to shield them from the cold and motions for you to lead on. You trudge your way to the edge of the cliff and look down into the crater below where you see the cause of the recent tremors.

The thick blanket of snow that once filled the crater has been completely removed, exposing the ancient remains of the city of Rydell. In the center of the crater is a structure that looks like it's made out of broken pieces of the surrounding buildings. It looks haphazardly built and it is held together with several massive tendrils of dark energy. 

"At least we know where he's at." C.C. says trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm ready, let's do this." Astrid says with a devilish smile.

You carefully make your way down into the crater and begin walking towards Nero's palace. The trip is silent, everyone preparing themselves for a hellish fight. As you approach, you see Mary and her smiling golden mask standing outside the front entrance, as if she was waiting for you.

"You finally came, and I see you've awakened your power. He was right, you will be so much more delicious now I can almost taste it." Mary says.

Mara releases her shield as Astrid says, "As much as I'd like to kill you right now, we're not here for small fry."

Mary laughs and says, "I see, well in that case..."

Suddenly a pitch black hand tears through Mary's chest, spraying the ground with her black blood. 

"Be careful... what, you... wish for..." Mary says in a horrible, gurgling tone.

Her flesh attaches to the arm protruding from her chest and she begins being absorbed into Nero as he lowers his arm and lets her lifeless corpse dangle before it is completely absorbed.

"Do you still not understand the futility of your actions?" Nero says coldly.

You take a step forward but Nero unleashes his power in full. It feels like an unbearable pressure is bearing down on you, keeping your group at bay.

Mara looks confident as she says, "I will rid this world of your evil once and for all."

Nero laughs and says, "As ignorant as ever I see. I was sealed away in a void for millennia and still my power influenced this world enough to corrupt even the gods that banished me. They were truly powerful beings, but the two of you are like the dirt beneath my feet. I've already absorbed everyone else that had magical potential, but I had hoped you would teach this one to awaken her divinity, so I spared you until now. It seems I made the right choice, two goddesses should sate my appetite, for a few hours." 

"What the hell are you going to do, kill everyone in the world? Then what, there would be nothing left." You say in frustration.

Nero turns to you and says, "Yes, that's the plan, but you're wrong about one thing."

"What?" You ask in confusion.

Nero smiles and says, "There would be plenty left, like this world for example. I will use this planet as my vessel and seek out other worlds to corrupt, and thanks to you, I've already chosen my first destination, Earth. From the way Zero described your memories, it sounds like they will have no way to defend themselves against me."

This is far worse than you could have imagined. Mary has told Nero about Earth and now he's set his sights on your home world. There's no telling how far it is from Thanos or how long it would take him to get there, but he's right, no one on Earth would be able to stand up to him.

Nero laughs and says, "Good, it seems I have your attention now. Do you see? Your actions are futile, I am eternal!"

As Nero laughs maniacally, you hear Kira whispering behind you.

"Let's go while he's distracted." Kira says quietly.

Mara shakes her head and replies, "Not yet, we need him to think we're retreating, not leading him into an ambush."

You know Nero won't stand around forever and you don't want anyone else getting hurt before you even make it to the demon world. 

"Stay back, let me handle this." You say.

"What? You can't take him on alone." Astrid says, almost sounding concerned.

"I have to, none of you stand a chance against him and Mara needs to focus." You say as you step forward.

You let your energy flow into your palm and grasp your blade of light as you walk towards Nero.

Nero smiles and says, "Eager to die are we? Very well."

Nero stands his ground as you approach and start sprinting towards him. Now that you don't have to worry about hurting yourself, you unleash your full power with every slash. Nero is able to evade your attacks but he's losing ground, slowly being pushed back toward his twisted castle. You push yourself harder, becoming faster with each attack, but even at this blinding speed Nero is still just a step ahead.

Finally, Nero backs into the wall and says, "Looks like you've got me, what will you do now?"

His twisted grin tells you he's got something up his sleeve, but you charge in anyway, hoping to land a clean blow. As soon as you are in range, the tendrils of dark energy holding together Nero's palace suddenly move. The huge pieces of stone buildings embedded within them make the tendrils too large to dodge, and they crush you into the icy ground in front of Nero.

Nero crouches down and grabs a handful of your hair, forcing you to look up at him as he says, "I know you've only recently been awakened, but this was pathetic." Suddenly Nero grins and says, "I have an idea, Zero told me about how close you are to the other human. How about I bring her down here and corrupt her? What was her name again, Gwen right?"

Every ounce of energy you have is surging through your body and you're able to slip out from under one of the tendrils. With less weight bearing down on you, you release your energy as a shockwave, allowing you to break free of the remaining tendrils. You lunge at Nero but with his hand still on your head he simply drives your face back into the ground.

"So I was correct?" Nero says as he begins scanning the skies. He looks back down to you and says, "Where is that flying machine of yours?"

"Leave her out of this!" You yell as you break free of his grip and get to your feet. 

Nero stands up and as soon as you make a move, two tendrils burst out of the remains of his palace and wrap themselves around you. You manage to keep one arm free but the rest of your body is immobilized. 

Nero walks closer and looks you over before saying, "Perhaps I will corrupt you and make you kill her, wouldn't that be amusing? She certainly wouldn't see it coming."

You reach out trying desperately to grab him, strangle him, anything at this point. He laughs and walks a few steps closer, your fingers mere inches from his golden face. Nero raises his hand, and you quickly channel energy into your palm and grip your sword. The blade of light appears too fast for Nero to dodge and it pierces through his eye. 

For a moment, you wonder if he could be dead, but then he begins laughing. He moves his head to the side, tearing his own flesh against your blade until he is free. His wound festers and immediately heals as he grabs your blade with his bare hand.

"That was a cheap shot human..." Nero says in an ominous tone. His expression turns to joy as he suddenly yells, "It was perfect!"

The tendrils lift you high into the air at Nero's command and throw you back down towards him, but you quickly create a magic circle underneath your feet, using it to leap over Nero and land on the opposite side.

"Interesting, I wonder where you learned that little trick." Nero says as he turns to face you.

You ready your blade and say, "Does it really matter?"

Nero shrugs and says, "I suppose not, ready to continue?"

Nero raises his arms and suddenly the world disappears into a sea of endless darkness. Only the shining plates of your armor and your blade of energy are visible, like a lantern against the pitch black darkness. Your eyes are useless here, but you have something better. 

You focus your senses and sure enough, it's quite easy to find the source of the malevolent energy. You can't tell how he will attack, but knowing where it's coming from is better than nothing. 

You feel Nero's energy shifting around in the darkness and then it rushes toward you. You shield your body in a thin barrier just before he attacks, hoping to dampen the blows you are unable to block. You raise your sword and feel his claws crash against it. 

His strength is overwhelming, even with only one arm pushing against your blade. You struggle as your sword is slowly pushed back and quickly wrap your hand in energy before placing it on the back of your blade. You push back with all your might, but Nero suddenly relents, causing you to lose your balance.

Something impacts your armor from behind and knocks you your knees. Another violent strike against your ribs sends you tumbling across the ground. In this darkness, it's impossible to tell what's going on and you know you have to find a way out before he is finished toying with you. You get to your knees and raise your arms, creating a dome of energy around yourself as Nero approaches. 

"This won't save you little girl." Nero says mockingly.

He raises his hand and hits your shield with full force, but surprisingly it holds up.

Nero laughs and says, "Oh you're full of surprises, aren't you?"

He raises both of his arms and begins lashing out against your shield almost too fast to see. You know you don't have long before he breaks through and then you get an idea. When you were fighting First, your power engulfed a very large area and destroyed any corruption it touched. You doubt it would be enough to kill him, but maybe it can break this illusion.

Seeing no other option, you quickly gather energy as Nero continues chipping away at your barrier. Just as you feel your power overflowing, Nero's arm breaks through and he begins prying apart your barrier. You release your energy in a shockwave that knocks Nero onto his back and shatters his dark illusion. The darkness fades away and you see that the battle has taken you further away from your friends. 

Nero sighs as he slowly rises to his feet and says, "You are beginning to irritate me woman." He looks you in the eye and continues, "Of all the countless beings that have stood against me, you alone have earned my undivided attention."

'Good, he's completely focused on me. Now all I have to do is let him think he's winning and wait for Mara's signal.' You think as Nero's power begins to surge.

Nero's corrupted energy becomes visible around him as he begins walking towards you. You blink and suddenly he's right in front of you smiling. Nero's fist impacts your ribs and lifts you off your feet. Nero grabs you by your face and slams you into the ground hard.

You struggle as his pitch black hand covers your mouth and you feel his energy rising quickly. Your body moves on pure instinct as you create your blade of light and sever Nero's arm. You quickly roll away and return to your feet as Nero's arm regenerates and his black blood pours onto the ground, causing it to turn a sickening dark purple color.

You charge in and swing hard, but Nero catches your blade with his bare hand. He grips the blade of energy tightly and you notice streaks of black flowing through it. Fearing he will turn your weapon against you, you quickly open your palm causing the blade to dissipate before your release you energy in a massive blast. Nero is pushed back by the blast and although he took it head on, he is still in one piece. His black flesh festers as it regenerates and Nero begins laughing.

"This has been entertaining, but I think it's time we ended this, I still have a planet to conquer after all." Nero says mockingly.

You tense up and prepare for another clash, but two tendrils of dark energy burst up from the ground and bind your ankles. As your attention momentarily shifts to the tendrils, Nero quickly closes in and kicks you across the face. With your feet rooted to the ground, you fall backwards and desperately try to block Nero's next attack.

You conjure your sword just as Nero's claws come into range and they crash against the blade of light. Sparks of energy fly as you push back against him, but with your back to the ground, he has the advantage. Nero crushes your blade and it disappears as he smiles and leans down to speak to you.

"Mmm yes, that scent..." Nero inhales deeply then continues, "The smell of fear has always intrigued me. Your own body betrays you and seizes up, leaving you at my mercy. That look of hopelessness is utterly delectable."

"Go to hell you piece of shit!" You yell in anger as you struggle in vain to free yourself.

Nero smiles and says, "I've was trapped there for a very long time, but I can show you what it's like." 

Nero places his hands on your shoulders and his energy flows through his hands and into your armor. It burns, more than if you were actually on fire, and you can't help but scream as you desperately try to free yourself. Nero laughs and presses his fingers into the shining metal plates as if they weren't even there. 

You wrap your hands around Nero's throat and quickly release your energy. The blast decapitates Nero and he stumbles backwards as you quickly destroy the tendrils and get to your feet. You charge in, not wanting to give him time to heal and although he isn't completely reformed yet, he is still able to fend off your attacks.

As soon as he has regenerated Nero begins attacking wildly, forcing you back. His attacks are reckless and leave plenty of openings, but with his regenerative ability, he doesn't really need to be cautious. You try to defend and use his relentlessness against him, but the flurry of attacks soon become too much to bear.

You block the first few attacks, but Nero keeps pushing the pace and soon you are helpless as he pummels you from every angle. The impacts reverberate through your body and you begin to feel lightheaded. The speed of his attacks makes it seem like he has much more than just four limbs. 

You feel the warm blood flowing down your face as the cold wind howls in the distance. Nero lands one last vicious blow and sends you flying into the air. You tumble helplessly as Nero leaps into the air and quickly catches up with you. 

Nero grabs you by the throat and squeezes hard as he says, "I've enjoyed our time together, but now I want you to die."

He throws you at blinding speed towards the icy ground and immediately follows it with a massive blast of dark energy. You watch the ground rapidly approaching as the blast of magic races toward you, but you stop midway, floating inside a light green sphere. The dark energy impacts the barrier and flows around it, hitting the ground under you and creating a massive hole in the earth.

You look back and see that Mara has caught you with her magic. You feel your wounds healing as the sphere makes its way to the ground and dissipates.

Mara yells loud enough that Nero can hear and says, "Mika, he is too powerful, we must retreat for now!"

'This is it, time for the real fight to begin!' You think to yourself as you begin sprinting away from Nero.

"Running away? There's nowhere on this planet you can hide from me." Nero says as he takes off after you.

Even with your increased speed, Nero is right behind you and gaining quickly. Your friends have already gone through Mara's portal and she reaches out towards you as you approach. You grab her hand and leap through the portal together, landing on the cracked, dried out ground of the island. The portal quickly seals behind you and you take a look around.

All of your companions are here and no one looks injured, so far so good, but Nero is much stronger than you expected and you get the feeling he's been holding back this whole time. Mara quickly ushers everyone out of sight and puts up a small barrier.

"This will keep Nero from sensing us, now Priscilla, create copies of each of us except Astrid and Mika." Mara instructs.

Priscilla nods and one by one, perfect replicas of your friends begin to appear. 

"This is so simple when I use your energy." Priscilla muses.

"Now have them gather near the fortress and as soon as Nero shows up, make them run towards the portal." Mara says.

Priscilla nods as you and Astrid make your way to the fortress. Minutes feel like hours and the eerie silence isn't helping either. After what seems like an eternity, the skies begin to darken overhead.

"This is it, you ready?" Astrid asks, giving you a half hearted smile.

You nod and reply, "Yeah, be careful in there."

Astrid laughs and says, "I'll be in the back lines for once, you're the one that needs to be careful."

"Y-Yeah, thanks." You respond, unable to look away from the ominous swirling clouds overhead.

The skies seem to rip apart as massive tendrils of dark energy open a portal in the center of the swirling clouds. Nero appears and begins falling through the sky as you and Astrid turn to run. You take off down the tunnel and glance back in time to see Nero land and begin chasing you into the tunnel. You follow Astrid through the narrow passageway and into the room housing the portal. 

You both leap through and as the illusions follow, they disappear leaving only you and Astrid on the other side. Astrid unfurls her wings and takes off toward the palace as you jump off the cliff and try to put some distance between you and the portal. The demons that stayed behind meet you down below and you look back towards the portal as Nero makes his way through.


	19. Astratta

Nero lands on the cliff and calmly walks to the edge, gazing down at the resistance gathered below. He steps off the edge and slowly descends to the ground as a demon walks forward and stands next to you. He raises his sword and yells as the rest of the demons charge toward Nero.

"No, wait!" You yell, trying to stop them before it's too late.

Nero calmly walks forward as a horde of demons surround him and smiles as they tense up. The demons attack all at once and in the blink of an eye, they're gone. Nero's corrupted aura stops them in their tracks and rips them apart from the inside before they even get into range. Demonic blood rains down over Nero as severed limbs fly out in all directions, the only remnants of the nearly fifty demons that stood beside you only moments ago.

You release your power in full and your hair and eyes change color. The faint chanting coming from the demon castle is getting louder and suddenly the ground begins to shake. Six thick chains burst through the ground and wrap themselves around Nero as he stands still and watches. The chains look like they're red hot and have strange glowing symbols all over them.

Nero tests his bindings and says, "I see, so this was your plan? Clever, but I'm afraid you will need to do better than this."

Nero's energy suddenly skyrockets and you take a step back as his horns grow at least a foot in length. His body convulses and then begins rapidly growing as his golden face becomes more bestial. Four massive tendrils of dark energy burst out of Nero's back, shredding his tattered cloak and revealing his sickening flesh. With a clear view, you can now see that Nero is covered in thin purple veins so dark they're hard to see against his pitch black flesh.

Nero's energy becomes thick and a dark aura appears around him. The pure corruption radiating off of him is making the ground wither away into dust. The chains can not contain Nero's increased size and he easily breaks them, but as the last one shatters, the ground rumbles once more.

This time, several massive chains rise up and encircle Nero. These chains look much more menacing, with sharp spikes on every edge as they dig into Nero's flesh and force him to his knees. With his incredible strength, rather than binding him the chains are acting more like a leash, only effective at keeping him in one area. You rush forward, trying to continue the assault, but Nero responds by slamming his fist into the ground.

His dark energy flows into the ground and turns it into a pool of seething corruption, forcing you to alter your strategy. You leap into the air and use magic circles to get closer, but Nero reaches out toward you. Just before you step on the next magic circle, it disappears and you begin falling towards the corruption. 

Without thinking, you release your energy and feel something very unusual. You hover in the air for a moment, astonished by the appearance of large, feathery wings on your back. They remind you of an angel's wings, pure white and elegant looking. 

Nero snaps you back to reality as he says, "There is nothing I cannot corrupt!"

His voice is very deep and distorted as he speaks and he turns his attention to the chains. He grabs one and after releasing his corrupted energy into it, you watch as the chain slowly turns into two tendrils of dark energy twisted around each other. The tendrils unwrap themselves and lash out at you, although with your newfound mobility, it isn't hard to evade them.

Nero strains against his bindings as if he could break loose at any moment, but as soon as he breaks a chain, more rise up to ensnare him. He manages to get one arm free and you decide to attack before he can corrupt any more of the chains. You swoop down from above and dodge the tendrils as you close in. You conjure your sword and swing hard, releasing a gigantic arc of energy that slices into Nero's chest.

Even with your divine strength your attack barely cuts into his corrupted flesh, although Nero now has his sights set on you instead of the chains. He reaches out much faster than his tendrils can move, and you don't have time to evade. Nero's massive hand grabs you and as he pulls you back in, you release your energy. Last time it completely disintegrated First, but Nero is only momentarily stunned by the bright light. His grip loosens just enough that you are able to slip free and get out of range.

Nero rages and breaks a few more chains as his tendrils extend and begin lashing out at you. Your blade of energy can easily cut through the dark magic, but the tendrils simply reform as soon as your sword has passed through and they continue their relentless assault. As you fend off the tendrils, Nero continues to corrupt the thick chains into more and they quickly have you overwhelmed.

You don't know how much longer Astrid and Raith will be able to contain Nero in their spell, but from the looks of it, it won't be much longer now. You take a deep breath and release your power in full, letting it flow unrestricted throughout your entire body. 'There's no point in holding back now.' You think as you ready yourself for another clash.

You charge in and freeze two tendrils before shattering them with your sword. As you had hoped, the ice magic is slowing the regeneration effect and you take the opportunity to do some real damage. Your blade surges as you pour your energy into it and drive it into Nero's leg. His flesh seems to resist the intrusion and you have to push with all your might until your sword begins sinking in. 

Once it is fully buried, you quickly focus and begin reshaping your blade. It expands outward, severing Nero's leg and causing him to fall. You crouch down and then use your wings to help propel yourself as you jump up and drag your blade through Nero's leg. He roars and then surprises you with an unexpected tactic. His wounds fester and suddenly close around your blade, trapping it inside him as his leg reattaches itself. Nero's massive hand reaches out toward you as you let go of your sword and try to get out of range.

You weave your way through the tendrils but before you can get away, something pierces your stomach. You look down and see a long black finger poking through your armor and trace it all the way back to Nero. Luckily, he had to stretch far enough that his fingers are only slightly larger than your own. The pain is bearable for now, as Nero lifts you up and brings you closer to his bestial face.

He roars as two more of his fingers lengthen and sink into your armor. You grit your teeth as they pierce your flesh and you feel them slide through you before poking through your chest. Nero raises you into the air and throws you toward the demonic castle with vicious force. You slide off his fingers and tumble through the air before using your wings to stop yourself. 

You look up and see Astrid and Raith enveloped in a red aura as they conjure more chains to bind Nero. They both look exhausted but this battle is far from over. Nero grabs a chain in each hand and corrupts them into more of his tendrils as you wonder how much longer you can keep this up. 

Astrid falls to her knees and the spell becomes noticeably weaker, allowing Nero to break several chains at once. There's no way to tell how long it's been since the battle started, but things are getting out of control and you doubt you will be able to hold him off for much longer. 

"Damn you..." Astrid says as she slowly rises to her feet. "This is my world... and I'll die before I let you have it!" Astrid yells.

A fiery aura appears around Astrid and the chains redouble their efforts to bind Nero, but with only a few left holding him, he can easily defend himself against Astrid's last ditch effort. You charge in and attack in tandem with the chains but to no avail. Nero's tendrils catch most of the chains and begin corrupting them as he focuses on you. 

Nero roars and viciously attacks, forcing you to move faster than you ever have before to avoid being hit. You back away as Nero approaches and breaks through the last chain. The heavy metal chain falls to the ground as the glowing symbols fade away and the aura around Astrid and Raith begins to dim. 

Nero quickly raises his arm toward the demonic castle and fires a massive blast of dark energy. You see Raith leap in front of Astrid and slam his hands onto the castle as Nero's blast races toward them. Suddenly a massive wall of black fire shoots up from the ground between them and the blast. Nero's energy impacts the wall of flames and although it doesn't stop it, it takes the brunt of the attack and the rest pierces through and hits the castle. 

The smoke prevents you from seeing them, but you can feel that both Astrid and Raith survived somehow even though the castle has been reduced to rubble. You turn back to Nero, knowing this will be the final clash before you must retreat. You understand now that there is no way for you to fight as his equal, but all you have to do is buy a few more minutes. 

You take a deep breath and feel a strange calm overtake you. The fear and anxiety are gone now, replaced by a single image of Gwen's smiling face. You smile as your energy surges and think, 'I'm always apologizing for not knowing if I'll make it back alive, but this time... I'm coming back to you...'

"I promise." You say aloud as you begin walking towards Nero.

Nero charges in and attacks wildly, exactly as you predicted. Your attacks haven't accomplished much, but if you can keep his attention and avoid his attacks, you might be able to stall a little longer. You abandon offense and focus all your senses on where the next attack will come from. 

Your strategy is paying off so far, but you know that any of Nero's brutal attacks could easily kill you. When Nero slams his fist into the ground, you leap onto his massive forearm and begin running up towards his face. You use your wings to glide into the air as Nero's other hand crashes down and narrowly misses you. Just as you reach his face, it tears down the middle and splits apart.

A normal sized Nero bursts out and you clash mid air, sending sparks of magical energy flying everywhere. Nero smiles and you notice the massive husk he left behind begin to move. A single tendril connects them and you quickly fire a blast of divine energy. Nero easily deflects the blast, but it allowed you to close in and make your way up to the giant. 

You fly upwards with blinding speed and dive back down, driving your blade into the back of it's neck. With Nero separated from it, you're hoping you can overwhelm the empty shell with your divine energy. You release your energy into your blade and it radiates outward, dissolving the grotesque flesh as Nero watches with a smile.

"You never cease to intrigue me. I can simply create another if I wish, you've accomplished nothing." Nero says mockingly as the last of the giant dissolves.

"Then go ahead, I'll kill that one too." You say breathing heavily.

Nero smiles and says, "I won't be needing that form any longer. Your friends have such little energy left I can barely sense them, and you seem to be at your limit as well. I haven't had a battle like this in a few millennia so I'm feeling generous, I'll allow you to decide who dies first. Would you rather cling to your last few moments of life, or be the first and not bear witness to the rest?"

His words are more than arrogance or mockery, he speaks with a chilling certainty and it sends a shiver down your spine knowing he has enough power to make these kind of offers.

"It's me you want, leave them..." You begin.

Nero interrupts you and says, "Wrong again woman. As I've said before, you are the dirt beneath my feet. Your divine energy has been awakened and brought to its limit, so I have no more use for you, but your energy will serve me well."

Before you can respond, Nero snaps his head up towards the portal. It only takes a moment for you to realize your friends must have defeated whatever remained of him in Thanos. Seeing this as your chance, you blast Nero with divine energy and take off towards the portal. 

From behind you hear Raith yell, "Take her with you, I'll hold him off as long as I can!"

You turn around just in time to catch an unconscious Astrid as Raith begins transforming. He rapidly grows in size and his wings become so massive they block part of the hazy red sky. He binds Nero in chains once again, but alone he can't hope to contain Nero's raw power. You don't want to leave him to fight alone, but you know you must retreat now.

You silently thank Raith as you fly towards the portal and into the darkness. You return to Thanos and are surprised by what you see. The small underground room as well as the factory above have been completely leveled, leaving a massive crater in the ground. As you glide out of the crater you spot your friends gathered near Mara and think, 'The battle here must have been just as intense.'

"Mika! Are you two alright?" Priscilla asks as she helps carry Astrid.

You set her down and say, "Yeah, we're fine."

Your gaze turns back to the crater as Priscilla says, "Mika... You're injured."

You look down and see the wounds from when Nero impaled you. They're bleeding, but not as much as they normally would be and the pain isn't very bad either, even from the wounds in your chest.

"Oh, yeah that... I'm fine, really." You say as you release your energy and feel the wounds begin to close.

"If you say so... How did it go in there?" Priscilla asks.

"He's... too powerful. I understand now why sealing him away is the only option we have." You respond.

"Yes well, let us hope we still can." Priscilla says.

You make your way to Mara and ask, "Are you almost ready?"

"Mika, I... still need more time, I'm sorry." Mara says.

You clench your fist and just as you wonder if this has all been for nothing Mara says, "If you attack as he crosses over, he will have to defend himself. We might still have a chance."

You nod and quickly return to the crater, with a mix of anticipation and dread. Your friends gather behind you as you feel everyone's energy begin to resonate, maybe because all of them are feeling the same as you right now. 

Sensing the shift in mood you say, "Don't worry, I'd be a pretty terrible goddess if I let things end like this."

C.C. lets out a soft laugh and says, "Yeah, let's kick his ass!"

You smile and say, "Yeah, wait... Here he comes!"

Tendrils of dark energy begin emerging from the portal as the skies overhead darken. You raise your palms toward the portal and begin charging your energy. This is the last line of defense, so you focus and put everything you have into this one attack.

Nero's golden face bursts out of the portal and you release your energy as a massive blast. Nero raises his hand and fires his own blast and the two collide, tearing up the ground inside the crater. The opposing energies struggle for dominance, forcing you to pour every ounce of magic you have into the blast, but it also seems like Nero is unable to fully exit the portal.

The massive sphere of swirling energy grows as you both continue feeding magic into it. At this rate, even Mara would have a hard time expending this much energy all at once, and it's taking its toll on you. You start to get lightheaded and your body feels weak. As you begin to wonder how much longer you can keep this up, you feel a hand on your shoulder.

"Use my energy, this is my fight too." Priscilla says as she begins channeling her energy into you.

C.C. glides up and places her small hands on your shoulders as she says, "Yeah, mine too!"

"It's not much, but I'll give you everything I have!" Kira says as she puts her hand on your waist.

You feel another hand between your wings and hear Astrid say, "I don't know how much I have left, but this is about all I can do now, so you better use it well."

Their combined energy flows into you and you feel something else as well. It feels similar to when you first awakened your divinity, like their energy is unlocking something deep within you as opposed to contributing to the blast. You feel a surge of power and channel it into the blast, pushing Nero back for a moment until he regains control. 

The stalemate is causing the sphere of light and dark energy to grow as it is pushed toward one of you and then back to the other. The crater begins to crack and small pieces of earth are drawn towards the sphere as chaotic arcs of energy reach out and disintegrate them.

You think of Gwen as you reach deeper than you ever have and unleash your full power. Your energy turns a blinding white color and the sphere of energy creeps closer to Nero.

Nero laughs and says, "Not good enough!"

Nero's energy skyrockets and the sphere is pushed back toward you. You're at your limit and pushing back with everything you have, but the sphere still creeps closer. 

As the arcs of energy thrown off by the sphere become dangerously close, you hear Mara yell, "Get back!"

Using everything you have left, you manage to deflect the blast into the air. The massive sphere explodes high above the ground, sending energy streaking across the sky. You quickly move aside as Mara rushes forward and raises her hands toward Nero.

"I banish your evil once and for all!" Mara yells as she unleashes her magic.

As Nero exits the portal, several golden chains emerge from magic circles surrounding Mara. The chains quickly bind Nero's limbs before dragging him closer. 

Nero struggles against the magical chains as he says, "You can not contain me."

"Not in this world, but in my realm, you won't be able to corrupt anything." Mara says as the chains drag Nero closer.

Nero begins trying harder to escape now, even unleashing his energy, but the divine chains seem to negate his corrupted aura.

"Foolish woman, even if you succeed, I will corrupt you from the inside and escape in time." Nero says as he stops struggling.

"I will never give you the chance." Mara responds as the chains pull Nero down to his knees.

Nero begins laughing as Mara places her hand on his head and he breaks apart into several black orbs. The spheres rise up and circle above Mara for a moment before the golden chains capture them. The chains pull the spheres into Mara and she accepts them without struggle. As the magical chains begin to fade away, Mara collapses onto the ground and you kneel down beside her. 

"Is... Is it really over?" Kira asks as she looks around.

"I'm not sure... Mika, do you feel Nero's presence anywhere?" Priscilla asks.

You focus but can't feel his overwhelming energy at all.

"I can't sense him anymore, I think it worked." You reply in relief.

You suddenly become dizzy and your energy wanes as your aura disappears. You sit down and take a deep breath but you know what's coming. You overused your powers and now just keeping your eyes open is a monumental challenge. 

"You alright Mika?" C.C. asks.

"Y-yeah, I'm just... really tired." You say groggily.

Kira smiles and says, "Well at least she's not all beat up for once."

You give a slight smile as you lay back and the world begins to fade away. The sounds of your friends cheering and celebrating get quieter as you take a deep breath and drift into sleep.


	20. A New Beginning

You awaken in your room aboard the Valkyria as the ship's engines cut out. You look around and see Gwen sleeping next to you and through the open door you can see Mara lying in Priscilla's bed. You sigh and take a deep breath before getting out of bed and heading to the lounge.

"Wow, I thought you would be out all night." Kira teases.

"Yeah well, I healed most of my wounds before they got too bad, so I was mostly just tired from using all my energy." You respond.

"I'm glad we won't have to nurse you back from the brink of death this time." Priscilla says with a smile.

You laugh and then ask, "How's Mara doing?"

Priscilla shrugs and says, "She hasn't woken up yet, but physically she seems fine."

"That's good... I'm scared to say it, but I'm surprised things turned out so well." You say.

Priscilla nods and says, "Indeed, let's not jinx it though, just to be safe."

You smile and say, "We're headed back to Valen then?"

Priscilla nods and says, "Yes, I told Sid the important details, but he agreed to wait until we've had a chance to rest before telling him the rest."

You sigh and say, "Good, I feel like I could still sleep for another week straight."

Priscilla laughs and says, "Yes, a bath sounds nice about now."

The Valkyria docks in Valen City a short while later and you disembark and ride the lift down into the city. 

"Mara can rest at my house. We'll see you in the morning." Priscilla says as she carries Mara on her back. 

"Come on Astrid, we can stay in the brothel tonight." C.C. says.

Astrid sighs and says, "Fine, but they better have good booze."

"Of course!" C.C. says happily as they walk away.

You wave goodbye and make the short trip to your home as Kira skips alongside you. Once inside, you try to remove your armor but find that it won't budge. After a few moments, you focus and your armor disappears revealing your normal clothes.

"That's so cool." Gwen says.

You look to her and then quickly change your eyes and hair back to normal.

"No it's... it's ok, this is who you really are and I... kinda like it." Gwen says with a smile.

You let your hair and eyes take on their godly appearance as you say, "Are you sure?"

Gwen steps forward and kisses you for a long moment before saying, "Why don't we find out?"

You smile as she takes your hand and leads you upstairs to the bed. She quickly takes off her clothes and lays on the bed, staring at you longingly. You disrobe and climb into bed next to her, suddenly reinvigorated. Gwen kisses you and as her soft tongue dances in your mouth, her hand moves down to your pussy. 

She traces around your lips and rubs your clit until you feel your juices leaking onto your thighs. You massage her breast as she slips a finger inside and you let a soft moan escape your lips. As your tongue mashes against Gwen's, you can't think of anything other than her glistening pussy and you can't hold back any longer.

You slide down but before you can get a taste, Gwen playfully covers herself and says, "I hope you aren't using your magic to seduce me."

You smile and say, "Like this?"

You use your energy to lift Gwen into the air and crawl under her before turning her away from you. 

"Ooohhhh..." Gwen whines as she hovers mid air.

You lower her down and gently lay her on top of you, giving you a perfect view of her pussy and ass. 

"Oh! You're so hard already..." Gwen says as she comes face to face with your cock. She leans down and licks along the tip before saying, "It's making me all hot..."

Gwen takes your cock into her mouth and you moan in pleasure before burying your face in her pussy. She gasps in delight as you lap up her juices and she bobs her head on your cock as you become lost in ecstasy. 

Feeling you twitch in her mouth, Gwen lifts her head and quickly strokes your cock as she says, "Uuhhh, you taste so good, can you cum for me so I can taste that too?"

Her words obviously had the intended effect as your cock erupts and coats her face in your cum. Thick ropes of cum splatter Gwen's face and breasts as you moan in ecstasy.

"Oh my god, it's everywhere..." Gwen says as she wipes her face. 

You pay no attention though, determined to make her feel the same as your tongue traces around her tiny asshole. You slip two fingers into Gwen's pussy as your tongue pushes against her hole, causing her to writhe and moan. You push harder and your tongue slips inside as your nose rests against her ass. Gwen gasps as you explore her ass while rubbing her pussy and she rests her face next to your cock.

"Oh god Mika, yeah, ohh fuck right there... I'm... I'm gonna cum!" Gwen cries out.

You can feel her tensing up and her ass contracts around your tongue as her pussy squirts her juices onto your neck. She twitches as you remove your tongue and catch the last of her juices in your mouth before she lays down next to you panting in delight. You lay your head back onto the pillow and kiss Gwen's cute foot as she slowly rubs her body against yours.

"Don't think we're done just yet, I still wanna feel a goddess's cock inside me." Gwen giggles.

She turns around and crawls on top of you before leaning down and pressing her lips against yours. You return her affection as her hand moves between you and grabs your cock. Her deliberate movements and dirty talk have you wondering if she's just acting, or if she is actually starting to enjoy the strange circumstances, but either way, it's driving you crazy.

Gwen lifts herself up and presses the tip of your cock against her soft lower lips. With a long moan, Gwen lowers herself onto your cock and places her hands on your breasts. Her big beautiful breasts bounce each time she rises up and you absentmindedly begin thrusting back into her. Her hips loudly slap against yours as more of her juices leak onto your stomach making it more of a wet sound. 

You grab Gwen by her waist and sink your cock as deep as it will go as she grinds her pussy into your lap. Her breasts are squished against yours as she pulls you close and plants a passionate kiss on your lips. You grab her hips and help her grind against you as your cock pounds her g spot. 

Gwen stops kissing you long enough to whisper, "Ooohhhh fuuuckk..."

You feel her pussy clench around your cock as she gasps and you lean forward to lay her on her back. Her inner walls spasm as you begin pumping your cock in and out of her dripping wet pussy like a jackhammer. Gwen squirts almost every time you pull out and seeing her face twisted in ecstasy pushes you over the edge.

"I'm, aaahhh, I'm cumming!" You say as you thrust in one last time.

You fill Gwen's pussy with your divine cum as her own orgasm finally ends. You lie next to Gwen, completely spent after everything you've been through today and stare into her eyes.

Gwen smiles and says, "I love you too."

You give her a quick kiss and close your eyes, content of sleep in this mess as long as Gwen stays with you. She rests her face against your breast and soon you are both fast asleep.

Morning comes quickly and the sounds of shopkeepers opening their stalls for the day wakes you. You sigh as you get up and Gwen yawns as she stretches out.

"Uughhh, I'm all sticky." Gwen giggles.

"Yeah me too, let's clean up." You reply with a soft laugh.

You take a quick bath with Gwen and after changing into fresh clothes, you make your way downstairs. Kira is already awake and cooking a nice looking meal in the kitchen. 'She must be excited about how easy it is for her to do stuff like this on her own now.' You think with a slight smile.

After eating, you clean the dishes and get ready to meet your friends. You head outside and see Astrid and C.C. walking towards your home. 

You greet them and say, "Hey, where's Priscilla and Mara?"

Astrid shrugs and says, "Probably at the mayor's house. They told us to come and get you."

You nod and say, "Alright, let's go then."

You lead the way to the mayor's house and see a crowd gathering around. After scanning the crowd, you see Priscilla and Mara near the back and begin making your way through. Once the townspeople realize you've arrived, they move aside and you walk over to Priscilla.

"What's going on?" You ask.

Mara giggles and says, "I thought everyone would like to see their new goddess in person, so I convinced the mayor to gather everyone in town."

You sigh and say, "Right now?"

You look back and the crowd seems to have gotten even larger and you sigh again.

"Alright, let's get this over with." You say.

"Don't be like that Mika, these people cherish you and I know you care about them deeply." Mara responds.

"Yeah, it's not that... it's just, I wasn't expecting it that's all." You say.

Mara smiles and says, "You're not just a hero anymore, you're a goddess. This is part of the job."

You smile and say, "I know."

Mara leads you onto a small, hastily made stage so everyone has a good view of you. You feel awkward, not really having any idea of what you're supposed to do or say. Mara silently waits for the last few citizens to arrive before she begins speaking.

"My children, I am your goddess Mara! Rejoice, for the corruption has been eliminated!" Mara says.

The crowd is silent for a moment, but to your surprise, they seem to believe her and begin cheering. 'Well that was easier than I expected, maybe they still remember her after all this time.' You think as Mara quiets the crowd.

"As I'm sure you're aware, I blessed Mika so she could defeat Iliya, but the power she now holds is her own. She has awakened and become a goddess herself!" Mara says, ushering you in front of her.

The crowd is speechless as they stare at your new appearance. It's a little uncomfortable, but you feel a little more confident with Mara behind you.

"I know things have been getting worse for a long time, but Mara and I have sealed Nero in a place where he can never harm this world again. The worst is finally over, and I promise I'll do everything I can to make things better, for all of us." You say confidently.

The crowd cheers but they quickly quiet down when you say, "Nero was controlling the corruption all this time and he has manipulated everyone, including Iliya. I know now that she was corrupted, but her actions shouldn't make you hate the demons. They sacrificed their home world so our battle with Nero didn't endanger anyone here. In return, I brought the few that remained back to Ardent City so they would be safe from the fight. If there is one thing I ask of you in return for all I have done it's this, please give the demons a chance to prove they are nothing like Iliya."

Silence sweeps across the plaza and the people begin whispering amongst themselves. 

After a few moments, a foxgirl steps forward and says, "Well, if you and Mara both vouch for them, then I don't mind. If there's anyone we can trust, it's you two."

Mara smiles as you thank the girl and someone else says, "Yeah, if they don't cause trouble, they're welcome in my shop. Their arens are as good as any I suppose."

You smile and Mara hugs you from behind and says, "That was pretty good, they really love you."

You laugh and quietly say, "I think they're happier about not being killed by Nero."

Mara scoffs and says, "Nonsense."

You laugh as you feel the energy from the townspeople becoming lighter. They seem to be open to the idea of allowing demons into their lives and that's all you can really hope for. 

You turn to leave but Mara takes your hand and raises it as she says, "We will be celebrating tonight and everyone is invited!"

You laugh as Mara cheers and leads you off stage towards your friends.

"Setting your sights high right from the start huh? Yeah, that sounds like you." Astrid teases.

"You shouldn't tease a goddess you know... I might just become the jealous type and punish you." You say with a sly smile.

You both burst out laughing and Astrid says, "Alright, well I have to find some decent booze around here before tonight. I'll see you later."

"Just don't go ruining the demons' reputation on the first night." You reply with a smile.

Astrid mumbles something under her breath as she walks away and you let out a soft laugh. You decide that with such a huge celebration planned for tonight, you had better get some more sleep or you wouldn't even last till midnight. 

You look to Gwen and say, "Hey, I think I'm gonna go back to sleep for a while."

Gwen smiles and says, "Still tired after last night? Ok then I'll stay here with Priscilla and help with the party."

You give her a quick kiss and say, "Alright, can you come and wake me up if I sleep in?"

Gwen nods and as you turn around she playfully spanks your ass and says, "Rest up!"

You head back home and once upstairs, you throw yourself onto the bed. It's only been a few hours since you returned from the island and although you would like to spend the day with Gwen, you're just too tired. You stretch out and pull the blanket over yourself and soon you drift off to sleep.

Sometime later, you awaken to a warm, soft feeling around your cock. You open your eyes and see Gwen has your whole cock in her mouth. Her eyes are closed and she's laying between your legs with her head resting on your thigh. You don't know how long she's been like this, but you feel something dripping onto your thighs.

Gwen notices your slight movements and opens her big blue eyes and stares right at you as your orgasm hits you hard. Gwen dutifully swallows every drop without breaking eye contact. You can't bring yourself to ruin this perfect moment with words, so you just stare back at her as she drinks your cum.

Gwen slowly lifts her head off your cock and wipes her mouth before she says, "Sorry, I think I drooled a little bit."

She begins wiping off your thighs and you reply, "It's alright, I couldn't think of a better way to wake up."

Gwen smiles and kisses you deeply before she says, "Come on, the party's gonna start soon!"

As you get dressed you ask, "So where is it?"

"What?" Gwen asks.

"The party... Is it at the tavern, because Mara invited the whole town and..." You say.

Gwen interrupts you and says, "Oh yeah, the mayor said the whole city will be open tonight, so the tavern, the market, the docks, everyone will be partying!"

You laugh and think C.C. might have had something to do with that. You lead Gwen outside and see that even though it's still fairly early, people are already beginning the festivities. Alcohol passed around in the open and plenty of laughter accompany your short walk to the tavern.

Upon entering, you are met with a hearty cheer from the patrons as a barmaid says, "Hello Ms. Champion, or should I call you divine goddess? How about the Saint of Valen?"

You laugh and reply, "How about just Mika?"

The bunnygirl laughs and says, "Alright, your friends are over there. I'll bring you a glass of Fenti wine in a minute. Everything for you is on the house tonight, no complaints!"

You laugh as the girl hops away and you take a seat near your friends.

"There you are, I was starting to wonder if you would sleep through the party." C.C. says.

"I couldn't miss this." You say with a smile.

The bunnygirl returns with your wine a few minutes later and you take a long drink. 

"Umm, Mika?" Mara says timidly.

"Yeah?" You reply.

"I don't want to impose, but I have something to discuss with you later and I would prefer if you weren't..." Mara says.

"Hey don't worry, I wasn't planning on getting drunk. I don't want that to be everyone's first impression of me as a goddess." You say with a small laugh.

Mara smiles and says, "I see, I'm glad you're taking your responsibilities seriously."

You nod and say, "Well yeah of course, I can't wait to see how much we can accomplish if we work together. By the way, what did you want to talk about?"

Mara shakes her head and says, "Enjoy the celebration, there's plenty of time to talk later."

You agree and order a plate of food as you chat with your friends. The drinks flow and the food is delicious as time passes and you make your way around the city, enjoying the various food and games the townspeople have prepared. The entire city has been turned into a giant festival with entire blocks lit up in decorative lights.

Hours later, as you and Gwen walk through the central marketplace you see Mara and Priscilla sitting near a tree off to the side. You make your way over to them but before you say anything, Mara stands up and Priscilla walks away.

"I wish I could let you enjoy things a little more Mika, but I'm afraid I can't wait any longer." Mara says.

"What's going on?" You ask with a smile.

Mara motions for you to follow her and she leads you to Priscilla's house. She opens the door and ushers you inside, away from the revelry outside.

"Mika, there is one last thing we must discuss. Now that I have regained my powers, I can open a portal to your home world. I can send Gwen back if you wish." Mara says.

Your heart sinks, but you know it's the right thing to do.

"I... alright..." You manage to say.

Gwen grabs your arm and says, "Don't you dare talk about me like I'm not here... I should have more of a say than anyone about this, and I don't want to go back."

Before you can respond Mara says, "Well, there is another option."

You look to her and ask, "What is it?"

Mara sighs and says, "I can transfer all of my remaining power into her. She would become a goddess, although awakening like this would mean she would be much weaker than you or I."

"How much weaker?" Gwen asks.

Mara giggles and says, "You would still be stronger than most everyone on Thanos, but compared to the gods of old, you would be somewhere near the bottom."

Gwen smiles and says, "That's ok with me!"

"Wait, hold on. This isn't something you should decide on a whim." You say.

Gwen looks sad and says, "Then... You don't want me to stay with you?"

"I... I didn't say that. I just meant that it's a huge responsibility..." You say wondering if you're trying to convince her or yourself.

"I know, that's why I want to do it. I don't want you to have to go through this alone." Gwen says.

"Mika, you may want to consider her words. If there is one word I would use to describe my many years as a goddess, it would be lonely. I have watched as everyone I have ever cared about died from age, injury, and illness. Of course I enjoyed helping people, but that only made it harder for me when they would eventually die." Mara says, wiping a tear from her eye.

You look to Gwen and say, "I would give up everything to spend the rest of my life with you, but I don't want to force this on you. It's your choice, I'll be here for you either way."

Gwen smiles and hugs you tightly and you wrap your arms around her. 

"Mika, I don't care about going back home. I want to be by your side forever, and now I can. I don't care if I'm weak, as long as I can be with you, that's all that matters to me." Gwen says.

Gwen steps back and looks to Mara as she says, "I promise, I'll do my best and help Mika any way I can."

Mara smiles and says, "I know you will."

Thinking back to her strange behavior, you ask, "This isn't the only reason you brought us here, is it?"

Mara sighs and says, "There is something else."

"Is it about Nero?" You ask.

Mara nods and says, "There is a reason why the gods never sealed him away like this before. I can feel him... eating away at me."

"Is he going to be able to escape?" You ask.

Mara shakes her head and says, "No... that's what I needed to talk to you about."

You shake your head and say, "Mara, no... I can't..."

"I'm sorry, but I must ask you to end my life." Mara says calmly.

"What!?" Gwen says in shock.

"Mara, you can't ask me to do that... I can't..." You say struggling to hold back your tears.

"Wait, isn't there anything else we can do for you?" Gwen asks frantically.

Mara shakes her head and says, "If Nero is able to corrupt me, he could easily escape, but if I were to die while he is still in my divine realm, he would be erased as well."

"He would be gone for good?" You ask.

"Yes, although the corruption that remains in Thanos would be unaffected. I'm not certain if Nero would be able to reform himself after something like this, but if he could, it would take him thousands of years." Mara explains.

You think for a moment and despite your best efforts, a tear streams down your cheek.

Mara wipes it away and says, "I know it's terribly selfish of me, but as the only person I've ever been able to call a friend, I wanted you to be the one. Plus it helps that you've done this before."

You let out a soft laugh and say, "Don't joke about that, I didn't want to do it then either."

Mara hugs you and says, "Mika, I'm so glad I met you. I've never regretted the things that have happened to me, but I have lived for a very long time with the assumption that I would be the only divine being left. Now that there are two goddesses willing to take over for me, I feel at peace with myself for the first time in a long time. I want to be free Mika, free to see my sisters again, free to be myself, and finally free of this burden."

You hug her back and say, "What am I supposed to do? What if I need advice or help?"

Mara smiles and says, "If you are unsure, follow your heart. If you need help, you have Gwen to support you. When I first awakened, I didn't know what I was supposed to do either, but in time I learned that there are no right or wrong answers. Helping one person may lead to another being hurt, but I trust that you will not take these decisions lightly."

You look back to Mara and ask, "Are you sure we can't seal you away or something until Gwen and I are strong enough to defeat Nero? There has to be some other way..."

Mara smiles and says, "Your heart is so pure Mika, that's why I feel so comfortable leaving everything to you. Unfortunately there is no other option, even if you seal me away, Nero would corrupt me and as soon as you release my seal, he would be free once again."

Mara takes a step back and places a hand on your shoulder and the other on Gwen's as she says, "Wielding divine power means the well being of this world is your first priority, above even your own lives. Many gods in ages past have willingly sacrificed themselves so that life could continue, but with Nero gone, things should be much more peaceful for you two."

You nod in unison with Gwen and Mara says, "Alright Gwen, please stand still and close your eyes."

Gwen tries to hide her excitement as she complies and Mara places her hands on her shoulders. You can see Mara's divine energy flowing into Gwen as she gasps. You watch as Gwen seemingly absorbs the energy and slowly, you begin to feel a new frequency. It is similar to Mara's energy, but unique enough that you can tell them apart.

Gwen's golden blonde hair begins to turn bright white and her clothes glow as they change shape. A short white, elegant looking dress appears over Gwen's body and her legs are clad in white stockings. The dress is perfectly fitted to her curves and is sexy yet tasteful at the same time somehow.

Mara lowers her hands and looks exhausted as Gwen opens her glowing blue eyes and says, "I feel amazing... Is this how it feels all the time?"

Mara smiles weakly and says, "Yes, I'm sorry to rush you along, but now that I am weakened, we must hurry before Nero takes advantage of this."

Mara takes a deep breath and says, "I feel happy, as if everything has fallen into place. I'm ready now, please hurry."

You can't hold back your tears as you conjure your blade of light. Gwen looks away for a moment, but she quickly looks back, wanting to be with Mara in her final moments.

Gwen takes Mara's hand and says, "You don't have to worry about a thing. Mika and I will protect everyone."

Gwen begins to cry as Mara says, "I am truly thankful for everything you two have done for me."

You step forward and with tears streaming down your cheeks you say, "I'll always remember you, I'm so sorry..."

Mara nods and you pierce her chest with your sword. Her pained expression makes this even harder as you release your blade and Mara falls into your arms.

She coughs up blood and weakly smiles as she strains to say, "T-Thanos, mi'kaava."

Unlike her previous deaths, Mara begins to dissolve into thousands of tiny white lights. You hold her tightly in your arms and Gwen kneels down and joins the embrace as the lights flicker and disappear. A few moments later, you are left clutching Mara's dress as you and Gwen continue to cry into each other's arms.

You are so focused on the empty feeling in your heart that you're unsure of how much time passes, but eventually Priscilla enters the room and stands in the doorway.

"Is she... gone?" Priscilla asks hesitantly.

You look up to her and nod, the only form of response you can muster.

"She explained what she was going to have you do before you found us. I should have been here, but I just couldn't I'm sorry, I..." Priscilla says as she breaks down. "Gods, I didn't realize... how attached I'd become to her." Priscilla says between sobs.

You spend a few more minutes crying but eventually you realize Mara would want you to act like a goddess and not a sobbing child.

"I need to get some air." You say weakly.

Gwen sniffs and then says, "Come on, let's get out of here."

You stand up and say, "And go where?"

Gwen hugs you and says, "Anywhere, as long as it's just us. Why don't we lay on the deck of your ship and watch the stars? I'm too sad to be at a party right now."

You agree and as you leave Priscilla says, "Mika, whatever happens now, you know you can still count on us, right?"

You smile and say, "I don't think we could do it without you guys."

Priscilla smiles and says, "Yes, of course. Don't worry about the others, I'll let them know what happened, and... I know I don't say it very often, but I'm thankful for all you've done for us Mika, we all are."

"Please don't start acting like that, I couldn't deal with it if you guys treated me like that too." You say jokingly.

Priscilla laughs softly and says, "Very well, I'll see you tomorrow then."

You say goodbye and walk through the crowded city to the docks. You take the lift up and board the Valkyria but surprisingly, there's no one here and the doors are locked. 

"What now? They must be in town with everyone else..." Gwen says.

You smile and say, "I have an idea."

You let your energy form into angelic wings to Gwen's amazement.

"How... They're beautiful." Gwen says as she softly touches your wings.

"It's easy, I'll show you how some other time." You say with a smile.

You lean down and pick Gwen up as your wings lift you into the air. You glide around the ship and land on the deck before setting Gwen down. You both sit down and lay back on the cold metal deck of the Valkyria as your wings disappear. Gwen holds your hand as you gaze up at the stars, and for the first time, you can honestly say that you don't care about going home anymore.

Once again you are stepping into unknown territory, but this time you will have Gwen by your side, supporting you along the way. Life can be boiled down to a series of choices, some of which are out of your control, but if you live with regrets you can never move forward. This is about as far away from what you imagined your life as being only a year ago, but you feel confident in your choices and happy with how things have turned out.

You feel determined to guide this world towards the future Mara has fought so hard for, no matter what it takes. You sense Gwen feels similarly and spend the better part of the night in silence, each of you contemplating your new role in this world. It won't be easy to live up to Mara's reputation, but you are eager to begin a new adventure as a sly smile creeps across your face.

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this series and I'd like to hear what other people think of it. Let me know in the comments what you guys liked/disliked or how I can improve!


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